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Engineering Professionalism ENG101: Case Studies For The Design Process

The document describes a case where an engineer used software he helped design at a previous job to increase his efficiency at his new job without permission. It raises ethical questions about who owns intellectual property designed by an employee and whether the engineer or others have an obligation to inform the previous employer.

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Abdullah Masood
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266 views16 pages

Engineering Professionalism ENG101: Case Studies For The Design Process

The document describes a case where an engineer used software he helped design at a previous job to increase his efficiency at his new job without permission. It raises ethical questions about who owns intellectual property designed by an employee and whether the engineer or others have an obligation to inform the previous employer.

Uploaded by

Abdullah Masood
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Engineering Professionalism

ENG101

Case Studies for the Design Process


NSPE BER Case No. 09-2

Engineer A, an electrical engineer, worked for


Dicers a company that purchased wafers for
microprocessor chips from another company and
then reprocessed, packaged, and resold them.
Engineer A was assigned the task of testing the
wafers. After a while, Engineer A was instructed
by his supervisor to alter the testing process, to
which both parties had contractually agreed. …

2
NSPE BER Case No. 09-2

The testing process was altered, over Engineer


A’s objections in such a manner that the quality
of the purchased wafers was made to seem lower,
when in reality there is not reduction in the
quality. This lowered the price paid by Dicers to
the other company. Engineer A objected to this
practice and refused to go along, and as a
consequence was discharged. Did Engineer A do
the right thing?

3
NSPE BER Case No. 08-2

Engineer A is an electrical engineer working in quality


control at a computer chip plant. Engineer A’s staff
generally identifies defects in manufactured chips at a
rate of 1 in 150. The general industry practice is for
defective chips to be repaired or destroyed. Engineer
B, Engineer A’s supervisor, recently announced that
defective chips are to be destroyed, because it is
more expensive to repair a defective chip than it is to
make a new chip. Engineer A proceeds on the basis of
Engineer B’s instructions. A few months later,
Engineer B informs Engineer A that Engineer A’s
quality control staff is rejecting too many chips, which
is having an effect on overall plant output…

4
and ultimately company profitability. Engineer B
advises Engineer A’s staff to allow a higher
percentage of chips to pass through quality
control. Engineer B notes that in the end, these
issues can be best handled under the company’s
warranty policy under which the company agrees
to replace defective chips based upon customer
complaints. Engineer A has concerns as to
whether this approach is in the best interest of
the company or its clients.
Question: What are Engineer A’s ethical
obligations under the circumstances?

5
Possible options

• Engineer A has obligation to his company


and so it should be examined that
whether lowering the quality is actually a
more cost effective approach. The
company might see a loss of profit and
reputation if the products are defective
more often even if they are covered by a
warranty

6
Possible options

• Engineer A obligations are to give all the


facts to the higher management. So that
he can be part of the company who
designs quality products. If the higher
management disagrees with his opinion,
he can re-position himself with another
company that shares more clearer view
on personal values. Obligations to the
public to sell useful products that serve
the public.

7
Possible options

• Engineer A’s obligation is to his boss.


Worse chips may cause some damage to
business but won’t put people in danger.
He can try to change the bosses
decisions but should follow what they
say.

8
Possible options

• Engineer A is obligated to find engineers


B results to be accurate. If it would cost
the company less money to deal with
these defects in the chips then that
would be okay, so long as the defects in
the chips do not endanger the public. If
Engineer A concludes that it costs more
money to deal with the warranty
department or a defective chip can
possibly harm someone, he should go
over his direct bosses head to find an
alternate solution
9
NSPE BER Case No. 01-10

Engineer A is a graduating senior with excellent


credentials from a University. Engineer A has had
a series of job interviews with engineering
companies from around the US. Following
interviews with several industrial companies,
Engineer A decides to accept an offer with ABC
Incorporated located in his hometown of
Townville, and plans to notify ABC the following
week. In the interim period, Engineer A receives
a call from Engineer B, an executive with XYZ
Incorporated, a potential employer with whom
Engineer A had interviewed. On behalf of XYZ,
Engineer B offers Engineer A a position with XYZ
and invites Engineer A,…

10
at XYZ’s expense, to visit XYZ’s headquarters in
Mountain ville, a city located near a resort area,
following Engineer A’s graduation. Engineer A had
earlier decided that he would not accept a position at
XYZ if offered a position by ABC because Engineer A
wanted to be close to family and friends in Townville,
and also because ABC provided better long-term
professional opportunities. However, after receiving
the call from XYZ, Engineer A decides to accept the
invitation to visit XYZ’s headquarters and combine the
trip with a post-graduation vacation, believing that the
visit to XYZ will broaden Engineer A’s knowledge of
the employment market as well as future…
11
professional opportunities with XYZ. A
week after the trip, Engineer A calls ABC
to inform the company that he will accept
the position with ABC.
Question: Was it ethical for Engineer A to
accept the invitation to visit XYZ
headquarters?

12
Confidentiality/Conflict of Interest:
Whose Property? (Harris, Pritchard, and
Rabins)

Derek Evans used to work for a small computer firm that


specializes in developing software for management tasks.
Derek was a primary contributor in designing an innovative
software system for customer services. This software
system is essentially the "lifeblood" of the firm. The small
computer firm never asked Derek to sign an agreement
that software designed during his employment there
becomes the property of the company. However, his new
employer did.
Derek is now working for a much larger computer firm. His
job is in the customer service area, and he spends most of
his time on the telephone talking with customers having
systems problems. This requires him to cross-reference
large amounts of information. It now occurs to him that by
making a few minor alterations in the

13
innovative software system he helped design at the small
computer firm, cross-referencing can be greatly simplified.
On Friday Derek decides he will come in early next Monday
morning to make the adaptation. However, on Saturday
evening he attends a party with two of his old friends, you
and Horace Jones. Not having seen each other for some
time, you talk about what you have been doing recently.
Derek mentions his plan to adapt the software system on
Monday. Horace asks, "Isn't that unethical? That system is
really the property of your previous employer." "But," Derek
replies, "I'm just trying to make my work more efficient.
I'm not selling the system to anyone, or anything like that.
It's just for my use--and, after all, I did help design it.
Besides, it's not exactly the same system--I've made a few
changes.“
This leads to a discussion among the three of you. What is
your contribution?
14
Derek installs the software on Monday morning. Soon everyone is
impressed with his efficiency; they ask about the "secret" of his
success. Derek begins to realize that the software system might
well have company-wide adaptability. This does not go unnoticed
by his superiors either, so he is offered an opportunity to
introduce the system in other parts of the company.
Now Derek recalls the conversation at the party, and he begins to
wonder if Horace was right after all. He suggests that his previous
employer be contacted and that the more extended use of the
software system be negotiated with the small firm. His superiors
firmly resist this suggestion. They insist that the software system
is now the property of the larger firm. Derek balks at the idea of
going ahead without talking with the smaller firm. If Derek does
not want the new job, his superiors reply, someone else can be
invited to do it; in any case, the adaptation will be made.

15
Questions:
• What should Derek do now?
• Does Horace have any responsibility to alert the
smaller firm about Derek's plans?
• Do you?
• What if Horace is friends with people who work
at the smaller firm?
• What if you are?

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