Ethics

 What is engineering?
 Using basic foundations in mathematics and science,
engineers apply their technical knowledge to conceive, design
and implement new processes, products and systems that
make our everyday lives possible.
 Engineers create and sustain technology that provide for our
safety, health, security, comfort and recreation.
 What is Ethics?
 The discipline concerned with what is morally good and bad,
right and wrong.
 Morality is the right or wrong of an action, a way of life, or a
decision.
 Why Ethics in Engineering is important?
 Public safety
 Engg. decision are complex:
o Many variables
o No “right” answers
o The solution is always a “trade of ”

o In beginning

Time Cost

Scope

o Today , it’s a balancing act.

Chapter-5
 Fundamental rights  Respect for authority
 Responsibilities and duties  Collective bargaining
of Indian citizens  Confidentiality
 Safety and risk
 Conflicts of interest
 Assessing and reducing
 Occupational crime
risk
 Professional rights
 Safe exit, loyalty
 Employee rights
 Managing conflict
 Fundamental rights
 Fundamental rights are a group of rights that have been recognized by
a high degree of protection from encroachment.
 These rights are specifically identified in a constitution, or have been
found under due process of law.
1. Right to freedom
2. Right to information
3. Right against exploitation
4. Right to freedom of religion (Article 25-28)
5. Right to life
6. Cultural and educational rights
7. Right to constitutional remedies
8. Right to privacy
 Right to freedom
 A right is justified claim on others. Eg: If I have a right to
freedom, then I have a justified claim to be left alone by
others. Turned around, I can say that others have a duty or
responsibility to leave me alone
 To be free means to have ability to live according to moral
standards- to produce some good, and to attain some virtue.
 Moral freedom means that we can aspire to what is morally
good, or resist what is good.
 Right to information
 Right to information act is to empower the citizens, promote
transparency and accountability in the working of the
Government, contain corruption, and make our democracy
work for the people in real sense.
 RTI act empowers every citizen of India to seek the
information from public authorities, including central, state
and local governments; parliament, judiciary, police etc.
 So the main aim of RTI is to provide clarity of information to
the citizens of India.
 Right against exploitation
 Article 23 and 24 of the constitution of India 1950,
guarantees us the right against exploitation: Human
trafficking, beggar, any form of forced labor and child labor;
and seek to protect us against exploitative practices and
systems.
 Making use of natural resources to build a city is an example
of the exploitation of those resources.
 Taking advantages of someone’s need for a job and paying
them only pennies to perform work so you can get rich is an
example of exploitation.
 Cultural and Educational rights
 This upheld the individual’s right to protect their distinct
language, script and culture.
 It also provide protection against state-sponsored
discrimination on the ground of religion, race, caste and
language.
Right to constitutional remedies
 It means to give the citizens the right to approach the
supreme court or the High court to get any fundamental
right restored in case they are violated.
 It is the only right that make the rest of the right effective.
 Remedies here means that, a way of using legal system to
make sure that someone’s rights are not taken away from
them.
 Right to privacy
 Eg. Data privacy (or data protection) is about access, use and
collection of data, and the data subject’s legal right to the
data.
 This refers to: Freedom from unauthorized access to private
data.
 Some treat privacy as an interest with moral values, while
others refer to it as a moral or legal rights.
Responsibilities and duties of Indian citizens
 According to Article 51-A PART IVA FUNDAMENTAL DUTIES ,
 Fundamental duties—It shall be the duty of every citizen of India —
1. To abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions,
the National Flag and the National Anthem;
2. To cherish and follow the noble ideals which inspired our national
struggle for freedom;
3. To uphold and protect the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India;
4. To defend the country and render national service when called upon
to do so;
5. To promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood
amongst all the people of India transcending religious, linguistic and
regional or sectional diversities; to renounce practices derogatory to
the dignity of women;
6. To value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture;
7. To protect and improve the natural environment including forests,
lakes, rivers and wild life, and to have compassion for living
creatures;
8. To develop the scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of
inquiry and reform;
9. To safeguard public property and to abjure violence;
10. To strive towards excellence in all spheres of individual and
collective activity so that the nation constantly rises to higher
levels of endeavour and achievement;
11. Parent or guardian to provide opportunities for education to his
child or ward between the age of six and fourteen years.
 Safety and risk
 Safety was defined as the risk that is known and judged as
acceptable. But, risk is a potential that something unwanted and
harmful may occur. It is the result of an unsafe situation, sometimes
unanticipated, during its use.
 The perception varies from person to person, based on one’s
physical condition, age, experience and expertise.
 Example, A second hand electric heater when purchased was
alright. But when used it might give shock and damage to human.

 Probability of safety = 1 – Probability of risk

 Risk = Probability of occurrence × Consequence in magnitude
Different methods are available to
determine the risk (testing for safety)
1.Testing on the functions of the safety-system components.
2. Destructive testing: In this approach, testing is done till the
component fails. It is too expensive, but very realistic and useful.
3. Prototype testing: In this approach, the testing is done on a
proportional scale model with all vital components fixed in the
system. Dimensional analysis could be used to project the results at
the actual conditions. (First model of new robot.)
4. Simulation testing: With the help of computer, the simulations are
done. The safe boundary may be obtained. The effects of some
controlled input variables on the outcomes can be predicted in a
better way.
Assessing and reducing risk

 There are many positive uncertainties in determining the risk

of a product/service.
1. Restricted access to knowledge on risk: Some
organizations do not disclose the data, citing legal
restrictions.
2. Uncertain behavior of materials: Test data supplied by
the suppliers are only statistical. The individual parts may
behave considerably different from the statistical mean
obtained from the tests on random samples.
3. Uncertain and varying behavior of user environments
such as physical shock, thermal shock, fatigue, creep, impulse and
self-excited vibrations in components or structures due to winds,
snowfall, and rains cause sudden failure of the whole structure. An
error or wrong procedure during assembly or joining the
components may cause additional stress leading to early failure.
 4. The use or misuse of materials/products, remaining
untracked, e.g., exposure or rain or Snow or damp weather is
likely to change the properties.
 5. Newer applications of obsolete technologies,
remaining unpublished.
 6. Substitution of newer materials whose behaviour are
not disclosed, and
 7. The unexpected and unintended outcomes of the
product/project.
 All these aspects make the estimation of risk complex and
unreliable.
 Hence, the data are to be monitored continuously and risk
estimation updated periodically.
 For example, a few friends live near the cement plant, as
they are unable to choose a better location for their house.
 The group work as motor mechanics in an automobile
service station nearby.
 The air is full of dust and some drainage canals cut across
their house sites.
 They hold that they are exposed to involuntary risk, from
dust and drain.
 But the same persons have previously-owned motor cycles,
with which they travel during week ends to their villages
through muddy roads.
 Now they are willing to take risk voluntarily, i.e., they have no
apprehensions on this travel.
 Statistical study indicates that individuals are more ready to
accept voluntary risks (hunting, skiing, fighting in wars) than
the involuntary risks (electric shock, natural calamity).
 Even though the voluntary risks are thousand times more fatal
than involuntary ones, individuals meet them, for the thrill or
adrenal quest or for achievement and for a page in the
Guinness record.
 Another stand or perception closely related to this example
is that of ‘Control’.
 There are people who choose to play stunts such as jumping
through fire gates, skiing and flying, car racing through
tortuous terrains.
 Most of these people exhibit extraordinary confidence in
them and on their gadgets and also believe that the hazards
are under their control.
 Safe exit,
 In the study of safety, the ‘safe exit’ principles are
recommended. The conditions referred to as ‘safe exit’ are:
1. The product, when it fails, should fail safely
2. The product, when it fails, can be abandoned safely (it
does not harm others by explosion or radiation).
3. The user can safely escape the product (e.g., ships need
sufficient number of life boats for all passengers and crew;
multi-storeyed buildings need usable fire escapes)
 Loyalty
 Loyalty is exhibited in two senses, namely,
1. Agency Loyalty
2. Attitude Loyalty (Or Identification Loyalty)
❑ Agency Loyalty
 It is an obligation to fulfill his/her contractual duties to the
employer.
 The duties are specific actions one is assigned, and in general
cooperating with others in the organization.
 It consists of several obligations to employers.
 But, for the engineers, the paramount obligation is still “the
safety, health, and welfare of the public”.
Attitude Loyalty (Or Identification Loyalty)
 It is concerned with the attitudes, emotions, and a sense of
personal identity.
 It includes willingness to meet moral duties, with attachment,
conviction, and trust with employer.
 The attitude loyalty is more a virtue than an obligation.
 This type of loyalty is all right when the organizations work for
productivity or development of community.
 Working together in falsification of records or serious harm to the
public, does not merit loyalty.
 Further, with frequent takeovers or merger resulting in large-scale
lay-off, employees find it difficult to maintain attitude-loyalty.
 Managing conflict
 In solving conflicts, force should not be resorted.
 In fact, the conflict situations should be tolerated, understood,
and resolved by participation by all the concerned.
 The conflicts in case of project managers arise in the following
manners:
1. Conflicts based on schedules: This happens because of various
levels of execution, priority and limitations of each level.
2. Conflicts arising out of fixing the priority to different projects
or departments. This is to be arrived at from the end
requirements and it may change from time to time.
 Conflicts over costs and budgets. ...
 Ego and personality clashes. ...
 Differing views, ways of working and internal biases. ...
 Verbal miscommunication and misunderstandings. ...
 Lack of trust and respect between team members.
 Conflict based on the availability of personnel.
 Conflict over technical, economic, and time factors
such as cost, time, and performance level.
 Conflict arising in administration such as authority,
responsibility, accountability, and logistics required.
 Conflicts of personality, human psychology and ego
problems.
 Conflict over expenditure and its deviations.
Most of the conflicts can be resolved by
following the principles listed here:
 1. People
 Separate people from the problem. It implies that the
views of all concerned should be obtained.
 The questions such as what, why, and when the error
was committed is more important than to know who
committed it.
 This impersonal approach will lead to not only early
solution but also others will be prevented from
committing errors.
 2. Interests
 Focus must be only on interest i.e., the ethical attitudes
or motives and not on the positions (i.e., stated views).
 A supplier may require commission larger than usual
prevailing rate for an agricultural product.
 But the past analysis may tell us that the material is not
cultivated regularly and the monsoon poses some
additional risk towards the supply.
 Mutual interests must be respected to a maximum level.
 What is right is more important than who is right!
 3. Options
 Generate various options as solutions to the
problem.
 This helps a manager to try the next best solution
should the first one fails.
 Decision on alternate solutions can be taken more
easily and without loss of time.
 4. Evaluation
 The evaluation of the results should be based on
some specified objectives such as efficiency,
quality, and customer satisfaction.
 More important is that the means, not only the
goals, should be ethical.
 Respect for authority
⚫ Respect m e a n s showing h i gh regard for self,
others, authority, property a n d country.
⚫ It includes showing appreciation for cultural

diversity b y valuing all people as h u m a n

beings.
⚫ I n order to m e e t the organizational goals, the

professionals should possess respect for

authority. T h e levels o f authority maintained
b y the organization provides a m e a n s for
identifying areas o f personal responsibility
a n d accountability.
 Following are the major types of
authority −
⚫ Executive Authority − T h e c o r p o r a t e
or institutional right given to a person to
exercise power based o n the resources o f
an organization.
⚫ Expert Authority − Thi s is a p rofession

o f special knowledge, skill or c o m p e te n c e

to p e r f o r m a particular task or to give
s o u n d advice.
⚫ Ac c o rd i n g to the goals o f the c o m p a ny,

the hierarchical authority is distributed.

⚫A service oriented or engineer-oriented
c o m p a n y concentrates o n the quality o f
the products which are decided b y the
engineers as t hey are the subject matter
experts.
⚫Whereas a c o m p a n y w h e n it is
customer -oriented c o m p a n y, focuses
primarily o n the satisfaction o f the
customers.
⚫H e n c e the goal o f the c o m p a n y decides
the power between a G e n e ra l M a n a g e r
a n d a Te c h n i c a l M a n a g e r or an Engineer.
 Collective bargaining
⚫ ‘Collective bargaining 'can be defined as discussion
and negotiation between two parties or bargain b y
the u n i o n for i m p rov i n g e c o n o m i c interests o f the
worker m e m b e r s , th rou gh negotiation, threatening
verbally, a n d declaration of ‘strike’.
⚫ I n the event their e m p l oye e have lawfully chosen
to be represented b y third parties, the c o m p a n y
expects their suppliers to bargain in g o o d faith
a n d not to retaliate against e m p l oye e s for their
lawful participation in labour organization
activities.
⚫ Suppliers will respect employees’ rights to choose
whether to be represented b y third parties a n d to
bargain collectively in accordance with local law.
⚫ It refers negotiation between
employers’ association and workers’
t r a d e u n i o n i n a n i n d u s t r y.
⚫ T h e workers can bargain m o r e effectively if
they c o m b i n e together into a powerful trade
union.
⚫ E m p l oye r s too prefer collective bargaining,
as individual bargaining with each worker is
a c u m b e r s o m e process.
⚫ It is the bargain b y the trade u n i o n for
i m p rov i n g the e c o n o m i c interests o f the
worker m e m b e r s .
⚫ It is impossible to endorse fully the
collective bargaining o f unions or to
condemn.
⚫ T h e re exist always conflicting views
between the professionalism a n d
unionism.
⚫ F r o m 1945–65 m o r e emphasis was placed
during these two decades o n collective
bargaining a n d labour relations.
C o m p e n s a t i o n a n d benefits started gaining
imp ortance, as unions negotiated for a n d
obtained paid vacations, paid holidays a n d
insurance coverage.
 Service to the public?
⚫ T h e service to the public is o f foremost
importance.
⚫ B u t the unions p ro m o t e the interests o f a
few m e m b e r s only.
⚫ T h e public welfare should not suffer
because o f their actions.
⚫ E x : - I m a g i n e a situation wh e n all the
teachers, m e di c a l practitioners, a n d
a m b u l a n c e drivers g o o n a strike. W i l l this
not cause d a m a g e to the public safety a n d
health?
⚫ Collective bargaining b y engineers
t h o ro u gh u n i o n or association or
f o r u m s m a y act within limits set b y
the c o n c e r n for the public welfare.
⚫ Professional societies can play a great
role in the p ro m o t i o n and
establishment of principles and
practices towards fair e m p l o y m e n t
a n d exploitation.
⚫ B u t they can not f un c tio n as
collective bargaining agents.
 T h e collective ba rga i n i n g c a n n o t b e j u d g e d as
un e t hi ca l , unless we st udy t he cases
i n d iv i d u a l ly a n d de ci de .
 Confidentiality
⚫ Confidentiality m e a n s keeping the
i n fo r m a t i o n o n the e m p l oye r a n d
clients, as secrets. It is o n e o f the
important aspects o f te a m work.
 Justification for Confidentiality
Confidentiality can be justified by various
ethical theories.
• Ac c o rd i n g to Rights-based theory, rights o f the
stakeholders, right to the intellectual property o f
the c o m p a n y are protected b y this practice.
• Based o n D u t y theory, e m p l oye e s a n d
e m p l oye r s have dut y to keep u p m u t u a l trust.
• T h e Utilitarian theory holds g o o d , o n ly wh e n
confidentiality produce m o s t g o o d to m o s t
people.
• Act utilitarian t he ory focuses o n ea ch situation,
wh e n the e m p l oye r decides o n s o m e matters as
confidential .
 Further, the following moral principles also
justify the concept of ‘confidentiality’:

1. Respect for Autonomy

⚫It m e a n s respecting the f re e d o m a n d self-
determination of individuals and
organizations to identify their legitimate
control over the personal i n fo r m a t i o n o f
themselves.
⚫I n the absence o f this, they cannot keep
their privacy a n d protect their self-
interest.
 2. Respect for Promises
⚫ This m e a n s giving respect for the
promises between the e m pl oye rs a n d
the em p loyees .
⚫ E m p l o ye e s should not disclosed the
promises given to the employers .
⚫ T h i s i n fo r m a t i o n m a y be considered
as sensitive b y the e m p l oye r.
⚫ B u t promises d o not establish
c o m p l e te obligation.
 3. Trustworthiness
⚫ M ai n t ai n i n g confidentiality by
lawyers, accountant , a n d attorneys
are necessary to develop
c o n f ide n c e a n d welfare o f the
individual a n d the organization.
⚫ It does not m e a n however that
these professionals collude with
t h e m unethically.
 4. Respect for public welfare
⚫ T h i s m o ra l consideration is important
in identifying relationships in
professional transactions, for the
benefit o f public welfare.
⚫ E.g. I f the m ed ic a l practitioners keep
confidentiality o n the p ro b l ems o f the
patients, patients develop c o n f id en c e
a n d trust in t h e m , they feel free to
reveal their pro b l e m s a n d personal
info rm atio n , without being shy.
⚫ T h i s is likely to increase their
chances o f being cured.
⚫ Similarly, a company keeping
confidentiality about its products get
economic benefits of
competitiveness .
⚫ Besides, confidential, provide safety
a n d welfare o f the clients as well as
the public.
 Types of Confidential information
⚫ O n the basis o f accusation (possession), the
confidential i n for ma t i on are divided into two
types, as follow:
1. Privileged information
⚫ It is i n for m a t i on that is available a n d
accessed, b y virtue o f a privilege, i.e.,
privilege o f being e m p l o ye d o n that
assignment .
⚫ T h e security c h e c k is also insisted d u r i n g exit
f r o m the work place against the leakage o f
this type o f i n for mation .
⚫ A n engineer working o n defense project m a y
k n ow that the missile h e has d eve l op ed is to
be tested against the terrorists across the
border.
 2. Proprietary Information
⚫ It is the i n fo r m a t i o n ow n e d b y the organization. It refers
to the knowledge a n d procedures established b y a n d in
the organization.
⚫ S o m e internal c o m m u n i c a t i o n in an organization is
marked as “Proprietary”.
⚫ It is protected legally b y the organization f r o m use b y
others, including the empl oye es.
⚫ T h e trade secret is proprietary i n fo r ma t i o n that has not
been m a d e public.
⚫ A limited legal protection is available for this
proprietary i n fo r m a t i o n b y c o m m o n law, which
prevents e m p l oye e s f r o m disclosing it to outsiders.
⚫ T h e quality m a n u a l is another exa m p l e for proprietary
i n fo r m a t i o n .
On the basis of severity risk from breach, the
confidential information is divides as:

⚫ O bv i o u s i n fo r m a t i on : It refers to data, i nfor m at io n,

a n d test results o n the products yet to be released, or
designs, formu l a e, a n d technical processes o f the
products.
⚫ I n fo r m a t i o n o f lesser confidentiality : T h i s relates the
business i n fo r ma t i on such as the n u m b e r o f e mp l oye e s
working o n the projects, the identity o f vendors or
suppliers, customers, marketing strategies, manufac ture,
cost o f manufacture, substitution o f materials etc.
⚫ T h e risk or loss involved is relatively less. I n
competitive business situations, this i n fo r m a t i o n also
plays a vital role.
 Conflicts of interest
 A conflict of interest occurs when an entity or individual
becomes unreliable because of a clash between personal (or
self-serving) interests and professional duties or
responsibilities. Such a conflict occurs when a company or
person has a vested interest—such as money, status,
knowledge, relationships, or reputation—which puts into
question whether their actions, judgment, or decision-making
can be unbiased.
 Some examples of a conflict of interest could be:
• Representing a family member in court
• Starting a business that competes with your full-time employer
• Advising a client to invest in a company owned by your spouse
• Hiring an unqualified relative or friend
 Types of Conflict of Interests
Conflicts of interest fall into three categories:
 Actual—there is a direct conflict between your
current duties and your existing private interests.
(You are being influenced by a conflicting interest)
 Apparent—there is indirect conflict between your
current duties and your existing interest.
(You could appear to be influenced by a conflicting
interest)
 Potential—your current duties and private interests
could conflict in the future.
(You could be influenced by a conflicting interest)
 Types of Conflict of Interests
⚫ Several types o f conflict o f interests exists d e p e n d i n g on
the ways a n d severity outside interests.
⚫ A few are listed as :
1. Actual conflict o f Interest.

⚫ T h i s refers to the situation where objectivity is lost i n

decision m a k i n g , a n d the inability to discharge the d u ty
to the e mp l o y e r.
⚫ It is a result o f weaker j u d g me n t a n d service.
⚫ A C iv i l Engine e r working in a Public Wo r k s
D e p a r t m e n t has a financial interest in a contracting
c o m p a n y, which has submitted a bid fo r the
construction o f a bridge.
⚫ T h e r e m i g h t be variety o f outside interests.
⚫ B u t the conflict arises w h e n the outside interest influences
or threatens the professional j u d g e me n t in serving the
e m p l o y e r or the client.
 2. Apparent Conflict o f Interest
⚫T h i s is explained in the following
exa mp le . A n engineer is paid based o n
a per cent o f the cost o f the design
a n d there is n o incentive fo r h i m to
cut the costs.
⚫I n this situation, it appears that the
engineer makes the design m o r e
expensive in order to get larger
c o m m i s s i o n for h i m .
⚫T h i s situation leads to doubt in g the
engineers interest and ability for
professional judgement .
 3. Potential Conflict o f
Interest
⚫Potential conflict of interest means any action
or any decision or recommendation by a
Board member that could result in a financial
benefit or for self or relatives or for a business
with which the Board member or relatives are
associated, unless otherwise provided by law.
 These are situations wh e re the
interest o f a n e m p l o y e e ex te n d s
b e y o n d t h e current e m p l o y e r a n d i n t o
t h e i n t e r e s t o f o n e s s p o u s e o r relative
or friend.
 Interest c h a n g e s i n to i n t i m a c y and
subsequ ent n o n - m o r a l judgment
against t h e interest o f t h e e m p l o y e r
a n d i n favo r o f t h e outsider o r e ve n a
potential c o m p e t i t o r.
 (a)Favorable Contact
⚫W h e n an engineers spouse is
w o r k i n g for a ven dor, a conflict does
n ot arise.
⚫B u t if the engineer is to give a
subcontract to the contactor or purchase
order to the supplier, the conflict arises.
⚫T h i s happen s wh e n the engineer has
partial or substantial stockholding in the
business o f that contractor or supplier.
 (b) Bribe and Gift
⚫ T h e conflict arises wh e n accepting large gifts
f r o m the suppliers.
⚫ Bribe is different f r o m a gift.
⚫ T h e following table shows a c o m p a r i s o n o f the

nature o f bribe a n d gift.

• Codes of ethics do not encourage even gifts, but employees
have set forth flexible policies.
• Government and company policies generally ban gifts more
than a nominal value (>Rs.1000?)
• An additional thumb rule is that the acceptance of gift should
not influence one’s judgment on merit.
 (C )- Moonlighting
• It is a situation when a person is working as
employee for two different companies in the
spare time.
• This is against the right to pursue one’s
legitimate self-interest.
• It will lead to conflict of interests, if the person
works for competitors, suppliers or customers,
while working under an employer.
• Another effect of moonlighting is that it leaves
the person exhausted and harms the job
performance in both places.
 (d) Insider Information
 Another potential conflict of interest is when using
‘inside’ information to establish a business venture or get
an advantage for oneself or one’s family or friends.
 The information may be either of the parent company or
its clients or its business partners, e.g., engineers might
inform the decision on the company’s merger with another
company or acquisition or an innovative strategy adopted.
 In such cases, their friends get information on stock
holding and decide on trading their stocks to sell or buy
quickly, so that gain more or prevent a loss.
 Occupational crime
 Occupational crime is crime that is committed through
opportunity created in the course of legal occupation.
Thefts of company property, vandalism, the misuse of
information and many other activities come under the rubric
of occupational crime.
 d a m a g e o f the property o n an e m p l o y e e o f o n e ’s
o rg a n i z a t i o n . T h e s e a r e a l s o c a l l e d w h i t e
collared crimes.
Some of the examples of occupational crimes
are :

1. Price fixing
F i x i n g the b id d ing rate b y co mp an ies, in
collusion with other co mp an ies, especially for
the contract services, is called price fixing.
⚫ T h i s is an occupational crime, prevalent in
electrical equipment's industries, where there
used to be few contactors but large n u m b e r o f
contacts.
⚫ Because o f this, public as well as
the g o v e r n m e n t incur h u g e loss.
 Example:-
⚫ Tw o top officers o f Westin ghouse a n d G E ,
U S A w h o were involved in price fix in g
without knowledge o f their Directors, were
sentenced to i m p r i s o n m e n t a few years back.
⚫ T h e s e officers held that it was legal to fix

price a n d ev en argued that this procedure is

really beneficial to the people!
⚫ H o w e v er, the court d id not accept this view.
 Industrial Espionage
⚫ It m e a n s s i mp l y spying for personal or
c o m p a n y benefits, e.g. , in the Silicon
Valley area, there are several c o m p a n y
man u f act u rin g co m p u t e r chips, I C s , a n d
microprocessors .
⚫ T h e r e are a lot o f engineers w h o are

entrepreneurs an d venture capitalists.

⚫ The espionage is more prevalent here because of
the followingfactors:
The espionage is more prevalent here
because of the following factors:
( a ) T h e d eve l o p m e n t o f chips is ex tre m e ly
competitive a n d o n fast track. Profit a n d loss
can be m a d e quicker.
( b ) M a n u fa c t u re o f chips is very costly. S o m e
organizations prefer to steal the design
details t h ro u gh illegal m e a n s rather testing
a n d d eve l op m e nt .
c ) T h e c o m p o n e n t s involved are very small.
H e n c e , pilferage or re m ova l o f gadgets c ou l d be
d o n e easily a n d without being caught.
d ) T h e c r i m e detection a n d law e n fo rc e m e n t are
difficult a n d ineffective.
e ) E m p l oye e s d o not carry out the activities
directly, but th rou gh engineers w h o were
e m p l oye e s or t h ro u gh the weakest link in the
supplier-producer chain.
 Endangering Life
(Occupational Hazards)
⚫Industries w h o expose their e m p l oye e s to
hazards usually escape penalties.
⚫Victims have the right to sue, but o n ly to
c l a i m s o m e m o n e t a r y compensation .
⚫E x : - T h e asbestos industries in U S A were
responsible for the death o f o n e lakh workers
a n d 27 m i l l io n workers afflicted with cancer,
in the 80s.
⚫Eve n the g ove r n m e n t c ou ld not bring to
b o o k the culprits for the c r i m e c o m m i t te d .
⚫O c c u p a t i on a l H e a l t h a n d Safety Assessment
Series, O H AS - 1 8 0 0 1 Certification has b e e n
adopted in m a n y India n Industries.
⚫As per the A n n u a l report o f RIL10, an
initiative called Project C A S H , C h a n g e A ge n t
for Safety a n d Health, h a d b e e n f o r m e d to
bring about a positive c h a nge a n d continual
i m p r ove m e n t in occupational health practices
at the work place, besides attitudinal a n d
behavior changes.
⚫T h i s is c l a i m e d to have prevented work -
related diseases, injuries, reduced absenteeism,
a n d ultimately increased the productivity level.
 Bootlegging
⚫ D e f i n e 1- M a n u fa c t u r i n g
selling or transporting liquor
a n d narcotics that are
prohibited b y law. I n
engineering practice, it refers
to working o n projects which
are not properly authorized.
⚫ D e f i n e 2- Manufac t uri n g,
selling or transporting
products (liquor a n d
narcotics) that are prohibited
b y law, is called bootlegging.
⚫ I n engineering context , it
refers to working o n projects
which are prohibited or not
properly authorized.
 Employee rights
⚫ E m p l o y e e rights are the m o ra l a n d legal rights that
are obtained b y the status o f bei ng a n e m p l oye e .
⚫ T h e provisions m a d e to the e m p l oye e s un de r this
category are:
1. Professional rights
2. Basic H u m a n Rights
3. Industrial rights or contractual e m p l oye e rights.
T h i s include the rights to the institution d u e to
organizational policies or contracts, right to receive
specified salary a n d annual increments, a n d profit
sharing.
T h e q u a n t u m o f such benefits, scale o f pay, etc. are
fixe d a n d reviewed periodically b y the e m pl oye r s a n d
e mploye e s .
 Right to privacy
 Right to choose outside activities
 Right to Due Process from Employer
 Right to Equal Opportunity—Non-discrimination
 Right to Equal Opportunity—Sexual Harassment in
the Workplace
 Right to Equal Opportunity—Affirmative Action or
Preferential Treatment
 Professional rights
⚫ H u m a n rights are de f i n e d as m o ra l entitlements
that place obligations o n other pe ople to treat o n e
with dignity a n d respect.
⚫ Organizations a n d engineers are to be familiar with
the m i n i m u m provisions un de r the h u m a n rights,
so that the engineers a n d organizations for a f i r m
base for understanding a n d productivity.
⚫ Provisions under ‘human rights’ are as follows:
1 . Ri ght to pursue legitimate personal interest
2 . Ri ght to m a k e a living
3 . Ri ght to privacy
4 . Ri ght to property
5 . Ri ght o f n on -di scri mi n a t i on
6 . N o sexual harassment