Nature and Objective of Work Ethics

MORALS

FAIRNESS The LAW

ETHICS

EQUALITY VALUES

Introduction: Ethics are the moral principles and values that underpin human behaviour.
Morals are concerned with what is 'right' or 'wrong'.

Business ethics are, therefore, the moral principles that underpin business behaviour.
Whether actions carried out by organisations and their employees are morally acceptable
must, however, be judged in the context of the society and the times in which they operate.

An ethical business is one which applies a set of moral principles to all interactions with
stakeholders, such as its treatment of employees, customers, suppliers and shareholders.
Being ethical means a business goes beyond merely complying with laws and regulations, but
makes choices about what it is prepared to do, and what it will not. Therefore, an ethical
business strategy may exclude behaviour, which is legal, but conflicts with the businesses
ethical policy.

Setting ethical objectives is the process by which organisations apply ethical values to their
targets and the actions by which they will achieve them. These ethical values should cover all
the actions of the organisation from tactical to strategic.

The objectives of engineering ethics are classifiable into the following four
domains.
1. Understanding of the relation between engineering and society/environment
2. Understanding of ethics and responsibility of engineers as professionals.3. Ability to make ethical
judgments and solve problems <Cognitive domain: abilities and skills> 4. Attitudes required of
engineers and values shared by engineers.

Engineering ethics education must be more than mere teaching of knowledge and skills,
and that the final goal of engineering ethics should be to foster qualities and abilities that enable
(future) engineers to make self-reliant/autonomous decisions and actions as professionals.
Therefore we consider the objective set in 4. Attitudes required of engineers and values shared by
engineers as the most important and ultimate goal. We believe that education must ultimately
contribute to a change of students’ attitudes and conduct. It should be clarified that the objective set
in 4. Attitudes required of engineers and values shared by engineers is neither to force nor to deny
particular values, attitudes, or ideology. Instead it is intended to clarify and emphasize the role of
engineering ethics education with respect for the diversity and the individuality of values and to
encourage learners to make autonomous decisions while remaining aware of their responsibilities
and roles. However, autonomous decisions should not be mere subjective judgments. Rather,
engineers should make judgments and actions while devoting due consideration to society, the
general public, organizations, and human relations. Furthermore, engineers should know,
understand, and use reasonable and logical methods to analyze and solve the problems they face.
Moreover, it is extremely important to understand the effects and impacts of science and
technology on society and environment, not only as one engineer who uses science and technology,
but also as an individual living in today’s society who has profited from and been influenced by
science and technology. Additionally, it is extremely important for an engineer to comprehend both
the positive and negative influences that science and technology have on human society and the
natural environment, to work on problems that humans must confront, and to create a sustainable
society. These learning and educational objectives are included in 1. Understanding of the relation
between engineering and society/environment , 2. Understanding of Goal: Self-reliant/autonomous
Decision-making and action ethics and responsibility of engineers as professionals , 3. Ability to make
ethical judgment and solve problems . Objectives in these domains should not be treated separately.
Instead, they should be treated as indispensable knowledge and abilities to achieve the final goal, 4.
Attitudes required of engineers and values shared by engineers,

OBJECTIVES OF WORK ETHICS

A. Understanding of the relation between engineering and society/

environment:-

1. Understanding of the effects and impacts of science and technology on human society To foster
understanding of: Achievements (positive effects) that science and technology have brought to
human society Negative effects of science and technology from the perspective of scientific and
social rationality Relation between our daily life and science and technology, including tradeoff
problems of safety and risk
2. Understanding the effects and impacts of science and technology on the natural environment To
have a problem-solving perspective with science and technology, from an understanding of: Various
problems caused by the rapid advance of science and technology, from the perspective of scientific
and social rationality The new paradigm of “sustainability” raised from the 1980s onward The advent
of well-balanced development with environmental conservation and ecosystem integrity are
required as our responsibility to future generations.

3. Understanding the characteristics of the modern globalized world To foster understanding of: The
globalization and borderlessness resulting from transportation progress and rapid development of
information technology The change in economic and industrial situations Historical and cultural
difference and diversity in the world, as the activity field of engineers are becoming increasingly
international.

B. Understanding of ethics and responsibilities of engineers as

professionals
1 Understanding of the nature and definition of engineers and engineering For career development
as an engineer, to foster understanding of: The definition of an engineer and engineering including a
science and scientist. The necessary knowledge which contributes to build a distinct identity as an
engineer, which includes the engineer model required in recent reforms of engineering education.
Because the objectives in this domain might be taught in introductory engineering education, it is
necessary to consider the extent to which they should be taught, in accordance with the educational
program of individual institutions. It should be conducted with sufficient attention to foster positive
motivation to be an engineer, not to discuss only negative problems and perspectives. [Overview] In
this domain, problems of both levels relating to (i) individual engineer and (ii) the
organization/company an engineer belongs are covered. Emphasis is placed on understanding of the
engineer’s ethical and legal responsibilities. [Contents] To learn (i) the definition of engineer,
especially qualities and abilities required in recent engineering education, and (ii) to become able to
examine the multifactorial responsibility required as a professional engineer, including ethical and
legal responsibility, and (iii) not only the individual engineer’s responsibility, but also the
relationships among the engineer’s organizations and the engineer’s society, (iv) to examine the
responsibilities that engineers should fulfill to society, organizations, and the general public.

2.Understanding of the roles and responsibilities of engineers in society To foster understanding of:
The roles and responsibilities of engineers toward society and the public. The roles of engineer to
create safety and convenience for daily life, and the impacts that engineers have on health, life and
welfare, using a case study approach.

3 .Understanding of the basic concepts and theories of ethics To foster understanding of:
Recognition of the presence of ethical issues The basic concepts and theories of ethics to understand
ethical responsibility. Although it is not necessary to go into details of ethics theories, basic
knowledge related to ethics will facilitate analyses of ethical issues.

4 .Understanding the relation between law and ethics and having basic legal literacy Acquisition of
the basic legal knowledge necessary to know an engineer’s responsibility Understanding of the
relation between law and ethics to examine the ethical responsibility, not limited to legal
responsibility. That will become a base of autonomous and practical judgment Although cognizance
of detailed law is not necessary, having basic legal literacy is required. It is necessary to have a
minimum legal knowledge that is closely related to an engineer’s profession, such as a Product
Liability Act, laws related to intellectual property right, and so on.

5. Understanding of the purposes and roles of codes of ethics and those of conduct set by
engineering societies and associations Related to 2.5, to foster understanding of: The purposes and
roles of codes of ethics and codes of conduct, which clarify the responsibilities and roles of engineers
to society

6. Understanding of the social responsibility (SR) of organizations (companies in particular) Because

most engineers work in an organization, to foster understanding of: The relation between an
organization and its members. The responsibilities and the roles of various organizations
(companies) to society.

7. Understanding of ethics in specific areas (and knowledge of concrete cases) To foster:

Understanding of inherent ethical issues in specific professional fields, with a case study approach
Ability to have a technological perspective to solve the problem

8. Understanding the nature of ethics in research and development To foster understanding of:
Research ethics, and the ethical issues and responsibilities in research and development in business
The dishonesty of fakery and fabrication in research, breach of confidentiality, unfair competition
cases and violation of intellectual property.

C. Ability to make ethical judgments and solve

problems:-
1. Sensitivity to ethical issues (Ability to recognize the existence of ethical issues) To cultivate
sensitivity to ethical issues (ability to recognize the existence of ethical issues) To exercise and
experience the various ethical issues that engineers often confront, using a case study approach
[Overview] In this domain, focus is placed on the improvement of abilities to make ethical judgments
and to solve problems by learning the necessary process, from recognition of ethical issues,
application of methods to identify related factors, and by making structural analyses of them.
[Contents] When a professional engineer works on a problem, then technical analyses, factor
analyses, and development of countermeasures are important to foster: Cultivation of sensitivity to
ethical issues (ability to recognize the existence of ethical issues) Development of the skills to
analyze issues structurally Improvement in the ability to design one’s conduct to choose more
desirable countermeasures Improvement in the ability to examine and solve open-ended issues
through the exercise with seven-step guide Understanding of the need to take account of the impact
to the public safety, health, culture, environment and so on, when working on a problem

2. Understanding and application of methods to identify related factors in ethical issues and to
make a structural analysis of them To improve the skills to analyze ethical issues structurally,
through learning the methods to identify the nature and relation of related factors that cause the
problem To cultivate the ability to identify the problem to be solved, organizing the factors by
distinguishing value-related issues and questions of fact, legal responsibility, and ethical
responsibility, technical, human and economic factors, stakeholders, and so on.

3. Understanding and application of methods to analyze technical factors in ethical issues and make
structural analysis of them To develop the ability to analyze technical factors in ethical issues, which
is most important for engineers To cultivate the ability to analyze the problem from the technical
perspective and to develop an ability to search for solution from an understanding safety
engineering, risk management, and so on

4. Understanding and application of methods to analyze organizational factors and provide

organizational solutions For an engineer facing ethical issues, the relationship with the organization
is extremely important. Therefore, the following are necessary: To cultivate an ability to analyze and
identify the organizational factors causing problems, from understanding management and
compliance To develop communication skills necessary to solve problems in a team or an
organization.

5. Ability to design one’s conduct to solve ethical problems Based on the abilities to analyze factors
gained through 2–4, To develop an ability to design one’s conduct to solve ethical problems, from
understanding and application of decision-making process model such as a seven-step guide To
cultivate an ability (i) to examine the solutions from many-sided viewpoints including resolution of
ethical dilemmas, solicitude to stakeholders, and (ii) to decide a best solution plan after comparative
review of alternatives using an ethics test or similar method

6. Comprehensive problem-solving capability To develop a comprehensive problem-solving

capability based on the understanding that: Because problems engineers encounter include multiple
factors, an engineer must realize the possibility of having a multifaceted impact. The actual problem
(e.g. accident case) is not merely a technical issue, but is instead deeply related to the safety of
public, health, culture, environment, and has a severe impact on them. It is generally expected that
this comprehensive problem-solving capability is developed during professional practice. In school
education, students are required to have problem-solving experience derived through a case study.
It is assumed that the concrete contents and levels will be left to each institution’s discretion in
accordance with its own mission, goal, and character.

D. Attitude required of engineers and values shared

by engineers:-
1. Attitude to think autonomously and independently based on an understanding of the
responsibility of an engineer

To cultivate

(i) An attitude to develop qualities and abilities to think and judge the specific ethical issue
autonomously and independently based on the understanding of the responsibility of an engineer

(ii)An attitude not merely to obey the law as a minimum standard of morality, but also to think
independently about an engineer’s identity (best form) and responsibilities
2. Attitude to accept a diversity of values (recognizing the existence of the various value systems
different from their own as well as the multiplicity of values)

To develop an ability to accommodate open-ended problems based on an attitude of bearing the

ambiguity of ethical issues and to accept the diversity of values

3 .Attitude to share values (such as safety emphasized in the codes of ethics) to which engineers
should assign paramount importance

To form a value consciousness of their own, which will be a principle of their judgment and conduct,
based on an understanding of values to which engineers should assign paramount importance

4. Attitude and willpower to act on ethical judgments of their own

(i)To build their own identity as an engineer independently, reflecting on their way of thinking and
values fundamental to autonomous and independent judgments and attitudes

(ii)To develop an ability to face difficulties patiently with a responsible attitude, along with the
decision based on their own beliefs.