MNNIT-A, PRAYAGRAJ

PROFESSIONAL ETHICS & SOCIAL

VALUES
BY:
DR. RISHIRAJ SARKAR
UNIT 1: MORALS, SOCIAL VALUES AND
PROFESSIONAL ETHICS
 Morals:
Morals are the welfare principles enunciated by the wise people, based on their experience and
wisdom. They were edited, changed or modified or evolved to suit the geography of the region,
rulers (dynasty), and in accordance with development of knowledge in science and technology
and with time.
 Morality is concerned with principles and practices of morals such as:
(a) What ought or ought not to be done in a given situation?
(b) What is right or wrong about the handling of a situation? and
(c) What is good or bad about the people, policies, and ideals involved?

 Values:
 Humans have the unique ability:
(a) To define their identity,
(b) Choose their values and
(c) Establish their beliefs.
All three of these directly influence a person’s behavior. People have gone to great
lengths to demonstrate the validity of their beliefs, including war and sacrificing their own life!
 Conversely, people are not motivated to support or validate the beliefs of another, when those
beliefs are contrary to their own. People will act congruent with their personal values or what
they deem to be important.

 Various definitions of Value:

 A value is defined as a principle that promotes well-being or prevents harm.”

 Another definition is: Values are our guidelines for our success—our paradigm about what is
acceptable.”

 Personal values are defined as: “Emotional beliefs in principles regarded as particularly
favorable or important for the individual.”

 “Values are the scales we use to weigh our choices for our actions, whether to move towards or
away from something.”

Our values associate emotions to our experiences and guide our choices, decisions and actions
 Not all values have the same weight or priority. Some are more important than others and must be
satisfied before others can be addressed. Dr. Abraham Maslow illustrated this with his
hierarchy of human needs. Survival has a higher priority than security, which has a higher
priority than social acceptance. Self-esteem can only be addressed to the degree that social
acceptance is fulfilled. Similarly, self-actualization can only be pursued to the degree that self-
esteem has been satisfied.
 A person’s beliefs, values and identity are usually acquired unconsciously based on his personal
experience or observations of others’ experiences as to what produces desirable or undesirable
results in the environment.

 Types of Values:
The five core human values are:
(1) Right conduct,
(2) Peace,
(3) Truth,
(4) Love, and
(5) Non-violence.

1. Values related to RIGHT CONDUCT are:

(a) SELF-HELP SKILLS: Care of possessions, diet, hygiene, modesty, posture, self reliance, and
tidy appearance
(b) SOCIAL SKILLS: Good behavior, good manners, good relationships, helpfulness, No wastage,
and good environment, and
(c) ETHICAL SKILLS: Code of conduct, courage, dependability, duty, efficiency, ingenuity,
initiative, perseverance, punctuality, resourcefulness, respect for all, and responsibility.
2. Values related to PEACE are: Attention, calmness, concentration, contentment, dignity,
discipline, equality, equanimity, faithfulness, focus, gratitude, happiness, harmony,
humility, inner silence, optimism, patience, reflection, satisfaction, self-acceptance, self-
confidence, self-control, self-discipline, self-esteem, self-respect, sense control, tolerance,
and understanding.

3. Values related to TRUTH are: Accuracy, curiosity, discernment, fairness, fearlessness,

honesty, integrity (unity of thought, word, and deed), intuition, justice, optimism, purity,
quest for knowledge, reason, self-analysis, sincerity, sprit of enquiry, synthesis, trust,
truthfulness, and determination.

4. Values related to LOVE are: Acceptance, affection, care, compassion, consideration,

dedication, devotion, empathy, forbearance, forgiveness, friendship, generosity, gentleness,
humanness, interdependence, kindness, patience, patriotism, reverence, sacrifice,
selflessness, service, sharing, sympathy, thoughtfulness, tolerance and trust.

5. Values related to NON-VIOLENCE are:

(a) PSYCHOLOGICAL: Benevolence, compassion, concern for others, consideration,
forbearance, forgiveness, manners, happiness, loyalty, morality, and universal love.
(b) SOCIAL: Appreciation of other cultures and religions, brotherhood, care of environment,
citizenship, equality, harmlessness, national awareness, perseverance, respect for property, and
social justice.
 Evolution of Human Values:
The human values evolve because of the following factors:
1. The impact of norms of the society on the fulfillment of the individual’s needs or desires.
2. Developed or modified by one’s own awareness, choice, and judgment in fulfilling the needs.
3. By the teachings and practice of Preceptors (Gurus) or Saviors or religious leaders.
4. Fostered or modified by social leaders, rulers of kingdom, and by law (government).

 Ethics:
Ethics is the word that refers to morals, values, and beliefs of the individuals, family or the
society. The word ‘Ethics’ has several meanings:

 Basically it is an activity and process of inquiry.

 Secondly, it is different from non-moral problems, when dealing with issues and controversies.

 Thirdly, ethics refers to a particular set of beliefs, attitudes, and habits of individuals or family or
groups concerned with morals.

 Fourth, it is used to mean ‘morally correct’.

 The study on ethics helps to know the people’s beliefs, values, and morals, learn the good and
bad of them, and practice them to maximize their well-being and happiness. It involves the
inquiry on the existing situations, form judgments and resolve the issues. In addition, ethics tells
us how to live, to respond to issues, through the duties, rights, responsibilities, and obligations.

 Religion Vs Ethics:
In religion, similar principles are included, but the reasoning on procedures is limited. The
principles and practices of religions have varied from to time to time (history), region
(geography, climatic conditions), religion, society, language, caste and creed. But ethics has
grown to a large extent beyond the barriers listed above. In ethics, the focus is to study and apply
the principles and practices, universally.
 Morality Vs Ethics Vs Values:
Morality Ethics

1. More general and prescriptive based on 1. Specific and descriptive. It is a critical

customs and traditions. reflection on morals.

2. More concerned with the results of wrong 2. More concerned with the results of a right
action, when done. action, when not done.

3. Thrust is on judgment and punishment, in the 3. Thrust is on influence, education, training

name of God or by laws. through codes, guidelines, and correction.

4. In case of conflict between the two, morality is 4. Less serious, hence second priority only. Less
given top priority, because the damage is more. It common but relevant today, because of complex
is more common and basic. interactions in the modern society.

5. Example: Character flaw, corruption, extortion, 5. Example: Notions or beliefs about

and crime. manners, tastes, customs, and towards laws.
 Professional Ethics:

 Professional people and those working in acknowledged professions exercise specialist

knowledge and skill. How the use of this knowledge should be governed when providing a
service to the public and what can be considered a moral issue is termed as professional ethics.

 Professionals are capable of making judgments, applying their skills and reaching informed
decisions in situations that the general public cannot, because they have not received the relevant
training. One of the earliest examples of professional ethics is probably the Hippocratic oath to
which medical doctors still adhere to this day.

 Professional ethics is a set of standards adopted by a professional community. Professional ethics

are regulated by standards, which are often referred to as codes of ethics.

 The code of ethics is very important because it gives us boundaries that we have to stay within in
our professional careers. The one problem with the code of ethics is that we can't always have the
answers black and white. Sometimes there are grey areas where the answers aren't so simple.

 Professional ethics are also known as Ethical Business Practices.

 Objectives (WHY ENGINEERING ETHICS?):

The objectives of this course on ‘Professional Ethics and Social Values’ are:

(a) To understand the moral values that ought to guide the Engineering profession,

(b) Resolve the moral issues in the profession, and

(c) Justify the moral judgment concerning the profession. It is intended to develop a set of beliefs,
attitudes, and habits that engineers should display concerning morality.
The prime objective is to increase one’s ability to deal effectively with moral complexity in
engineering practice.

Alternatively, the objectives of the study on Professional Ethics may be listed as:

(A) Improvement of the cognitive skills (skills of the intellect in thinking clearly):
1. Moral awareness (proficiency in recognizing moral problems in engineering)
2. Cogent moral reasoning (comprehending, assessing different views)
3. Moral coherence (forming consistent viewpoints based on facts)
4. Moral imagination (searching beyond obvious the alternative responses to issues and being
receptive to creative solutions)
5. Moral communication, to express and support one’s views to others.
(B) To act in morally desirable ways, towards moral commitment and responsible conduct:
1. Moral reasonableness i.e., willing and able to be morally responsible.
2. Respect for persons, which means showing concern for the well-being of others, besides
oneself.
3. Tolerance of diversity i.e., respect for ethnic and religious differences, and acceptance of
reasonable differences in moral perspectives.
4. Moral hope i.e., believe in using rational dialogue for resolving moral conflicts.
5. Integrity, which means moral integrity, and integrating one’s professional life and personal
convictions.
 Integrity:

 Integrity is defined as the unity of thought, word and deed (honesty) and open mindedness.
 It includes the capacity to communicate the factual information so that others can make well-informed
decisions.
 It yields the person’s ‘peace of mind’, and hence adds strength and consistency in character, decisions, and
actions.
 It is one of the self-direction virtues.
 It enthuse people not only to execute a job well but to achieve excellence in performance. It helps them to
own the responsibility and earn self-respect and recognition by doing the job.

 Work Ethics:

 Work ethics is defined as a set of attitudes concerned with the value of work, which forms the motivational
orientation.
 By work ethics, duties to the self, family, society, and nation are fulfilled. Rights of the individuals are
respected and nourished. Values and virtues are cultivated and enjoyed by all human beings. Further, the
quality of life is improved and the environment protected.

 ;
Many complex social problems exist in the industrial/business scenario, because:

 The people desire to be recognized as individuals and treated with dignity, as living human beings.
 Economic independence: Work is the major instrumental good in life. It is the main source of
providing the income needed to avoid economic dependence on others, for obtaining desired
materials and services, and for achieving status and recognition from others.
 Pay as well as the pace of work should be in commensurate with the expertise required, acquired,
and utilized in the persons.
 Privacy (personal freedom) of the employee, including women, is to be protected. At the same
time, confidentiality of the employer is also to be protected. Mutual trust and loyalty both ways
play major roles in this aspect.
 Security during job and upon retirement.
 Recognition to non-work activities, such as leisure, paid holiday on the day of visit of a dignitary,
social service, and other developmental activities.
 Hard work and productivity are very essential for the success of an industry. The quality of work
life deserves to be improved. Hard labor, undignified jobs (human-drawn rikshaw, people carrying
night soil), and hazardous jobs are to be made less straining, dignified, and safer.
 Employee alienation: Absence of or inadequate ‘recognition and reward system’ and ‘grievance
redressal system’, lack of transparency in policy implementation, factions in trade unions etc. lead
to ethical problems, affecting the work ethics. Participative management, quality circles, job
rotation, and flexible working hours are some of the measures to counter this situation.
 A different view of work ethics: Work is considered as a necessary evil. It is a thing one must do in
order to avoid worse evils, such as dependency and poverty.
 As per the Protestant Work Ethics, the financial success is a sign that is favored by God. It means
making maximal profit is a duty mandated by God.
 Service Learning:

Service learning may be defined as the non-paid activity, in which service is provided on
voluntary basis to the public (have-nots in the community), non-profitable institutions, and
charitable organizations. It is the service during learning. This includes training or study on real
life problems and their possible solutions, during the formal learning, i.e., courses of study. In the
industrial scenario, adoption, study, and development of public health or welfare or safety system
of a village or school is an example of service learning by the employees. The engineering
student analyzing and executing a socially-relevant project is another example of service
learning.

The service learning is a methodology falling under the category of experiential

education. It is one of the forms of experiential learning and community service opportunities. It
is distinguished in the following ways:
1. Connection to curriculum: Integrating the learning into a service project is a key to
successful service learning. Academic ties should be clear and built upon existing disciplinary
skills.
2. Learner’s voice: Beyond being actively engaged in the project, trainees have the opportunity
to select, design, implement, and evaluate their service activity.
3. Reflection: Structured opportunities are created to think, talk, and write about the service
experience. The balance of reflection and action allows the trainee to be constantly aware of the
impact of their work.
4. Partners in the community: Partnership with community agencies are used to identify
genuine needs, provide mentorship, and contribute input such as labor and expertise towards
completing the project.
 Some Examples of Service Learning:
Service Learning involves almost any helping activity. We generally refer to direct service to
individuals, indirect service to people, and advocacy work.
 Direct service includes tutoring, serving meals, working with patients, helping a refugee family,
walking foster dogs, or participating in events at a nursing home. Many psychology and
education courses incorporate direct service.

 Indirect service is doing something behind the scenes to help, such as organizing a fundraising
event, working in a resale shop, stocking a food pantry, collecting donations or planting trees to
help the environment. Fields such as environmental studies and sociology tend to offer more
indirect service opportunities.

 Advocacy can take the form of students writing letters to government officials, demonstrating in
a picket line or educating others about possible policy changes. Political science and criminal
justice classes often feature more advocacy work.
 Civic Virtues:
 Virtues are positive and preferred values. Virtues are desirable attitudes or character traits,
motives and emotions that enable us to be successful and to act in ways that develop our highest
potential.
 Civic virtues are the moral duties and rights, as a citizen of the village or the country or an
integral part of the society and environment. An individual may exhibit civic virtues by voting,
volunteering, and organizing welfare groups and meetings.

The duties are:

1. To pay taxes to the local government and state, in time.
2. To keep the surroundings clean and green.
3. Not to pollute the water, land, and air by following hygiene and proper garbage disposal.
4. To follow the road safety rules.

On the other hand, the Rights are:

1. To vote the local or state government.
2. To contest in the elections to the local or state government.
3. To seek a public welfare facility such as a school, hospital or a community hall or transport or
communication facility, for the residents.
4. To establish a green and safe environment, pollution free, corruption free, and to follow ethical
principles.
 George Washington embodied the civic virtues as indispensable for a self-governing
administration. These virtues are divided into four categories:
1. Civic Knowledge
Citizens must understand what the Constitution says about how the government is working, and
what the government is supposed to do and what not to do. We must understand the basis of our
responsibilities as citizens, besides duties and rights.

2. Self-Restraint
For citizens to live in a free society with limited government each citizen must be able to control
or restrain himself; otherwise, we would need a police state—that is, a dictatorial government to
maintain safety and order.

3. Self-Assertion
Self-assertion means that citizens must be proud of their rights, and have the courage to stand up
in public and defend their rights.

4. Self-Reliance
Citizens who cannot provide for themselves will need a large government to take care of them.
Only a strong self-reliant citizenry will be able to enjoy fully the blessings of liberty.

These civic virtues, applicable to local, state, and central governments, nourish
freedom and civil liberty at the root of democracy.
 Respect for others:
This is a basic requirement for nurturing friendship, team work, and for the synergy it promotes
and sustains. The principles enunciated in this regard are:

1. Recognize and accept the existence of other persons as human beings, because they have a
right to live, just as you have.

2. Respect others’ ideas (decisions), words, and labor (actions). One need not accept or approve
or award them, but shall listen to them first. Appreciate colleagues and subordinates on their
positive actions. Criticize constructively and encourage them. They are bound to improve their
performance, by learning properly and by putting more efforts.

3. Show ‘goodwill’ on others. Love others. Allow others to grow. Basically, the goodwill reflects
on the originator and multiplies itself on everybody.
 Living peacefully:

To live peacefully, one should start install peace within (self). Charity begins at home. Then one
can spread peace to family, organization where one works, and then to the world, including the
environment. Only who are at peace can spread peace.
One should adopt the following means to live peacefully, in the world:

Nurture (Intangible):
1. Order in one’s life (self-regulation, discipline, and duty).
2. Pure thoughts in one’s soul (loving others, blessing others, friendly, and not criticizing or
hurting others by thought, word or deed).
3. Creativity in one’s head (useful and constructive).
4. Beauty in one’s heart (love, service, happiness, and peace).

Get (Tangible):
5. Good health/body (physical strength for service).

Act (Projection):
6. Help the needy with head, heart, and hands (charity). Service to the poor is considered holier
than the service to God.
7. Not hurting and torturing others either physically, verbally, or mentally.
 The following are the factors that promote living, with internal and external peace:

1. Conducive environment (safe, ventilated, illuminated and comfortable).

2. Secured job and motivated with ‘recognition and reward’.
3. Absence of threat or tension by pressure due to limitations of money or time.
4. Absence of unnecessary interference or disturbance, except as guidelines.
5. Healthy labor relations and family situations.
6. Service to the needy (physically and mentally-challenged) with love and sympathy.

 Caring:
 Caring is feeling for others. It is a process which exhibits the interest in, and support for, the
welfare of others with fairness, impartiality and justice in all activities, among the employees, in
the context of professional ethics.

 Caring is reflected in activities such as friendship, membership in social clubs and professional
societies, and through various transactions in the family, fraternity, community, country and in
international councils.

 In the present day context, caring for the environment (including the fauna and flora) has become
a necessity for our very survival.
 Sharing:
 Primarily, caring influences ‘sharing’.

 Sharing is a process that describes the transfer of knowledge (teaching, learning, and
information), experience (training), commodities (material possession) and facilities with others.
The transfer should be genuine, legal, positive, voluntary, and without any expectation in return.

 The proprietary information it should not be shared with outsiders.

 Sharing is voluntary and it can not be driven by force, but motivated successfully through ethical
principles.

 In short, sharing is ‘charity’.

 Honesty:
 Honesty is a virtue, and it is exhibited in two aspects namely:
(a) Truthfulness: Truthfulness is to face the responsibilities upon telling truth, and
(b) Trustworthiness: Trustworthiness is maintaining integrity and taking responsibility for
personal performance.
 Honesty is mirrored in many ways. The common reflections are:
(a) Beliefs (intellectual honesty).
(b) Communication (writing and speech).
(c) Decisions (ideas, discretion).
(d) Actions (means, timing, place, and the goals). and
(e) Intended and unintended results achieved.

 As against this, some of the actions of an engineer that leads to dishonesty are:
1. Lying: Honesty implies avoidance of lying. An engineer may communicate wrong or distorted
test results intentionally or otherwise. It is giving wrong information to the right people.
2. Deliberate deception: An engineer may judge or decide on matters one is not familiar or with
insufficient data or proof, to impress upon the customers or employers. This is a self deceit.
3. Withholding the information: It means hiding the facts during communication to one’s superior
or subordinate, intentionally or otherwise.
4. Not seeking the truth: Some engineers accept the information or data, without applying their
mind and seeking the truth.
5. Not maintaining confidentiality: It is giving right information to wrong people. The engineers
should keep information of their customers/clients or of their employers confidential and should
not discuss them with others.
6. Giving professional judgment under the influence of extraneous factors: such as personal
benefits and prejudice. The laws, experience, social welfare, and even conscience are given a go-
bye by such actions. Certainly this is a higher-order crime.
 Courage:
 Courage is the tendency to accept and face risks and difficult tasks in rational ways. Self-
confidence is the basic requirement to nurture courage.

 Courage is classified into three types, based on the types of risks, namely
(a) Physical courage: In physical courage, the thrust is on the adequacy of the physical strength,
including the muscle power and armaments.
(b) Social courage: The social courage involves the decisions and actions to change the order,
based on the conviction for or against certain social behaviors.
(c) Intellectual courage: The intellectual courage is inculcated in people through acquired
knowledge, experience, games, tactics, education, and training.

 In professional ethics, courage is applicable to the employers, employees, public, and the press.

 The courageous people own and have shown the following characteristics, in their professions:
(a) Perseverance (sustained hard work),
(b) Experimentation (preparedness to face the challenges, that is, unexpected or unintended
results),
(c) Involvement (attitude, clear and firm resolve to act), and
(d) Commitment (willing to get into action and to reach the desired goals by any alternative but
ethical means).
 Valuing Time:
 Time is rare resource. Once it is spent, it is lost for ever. It can not be either stored or recovered.
Hence, time is the most perishable and most valuable resource too. This resource is continuously
spent, whether any decision or action is taken or not.
 The history of great reformers and innovators have stressed the importance of time and valuing
time. The proverbs, ‘Time and tide wait for nobody’ and ‘Procrastination is the thief of time’
amply illustrate this point.

 Cooperation:
 It is a team-spirit present with every individual engaged in engineering.
 Co-operation is activity between two persons or sectors that aims at integration of operations
(synergy), while not sacrificing the autonomy of either party.
 Working together ensures, coherence, i.e., blending of different skills required, towards common
goals.
 Willingness to understand others, think and act together and putting this into practice, is
cooperation.
 According to professional ethics, cooperation should exist or be developed, and maintained, at
several levels; between superior-subordinate, peers all the stakeholders.
 The impediments to successful cooperation are:
1. Clash of ego of individuals.
2. Lack of leadership and motivation.
3. Conflicts of interests, based on region, religion, language, and caste.
4. Ignorance and lack of interest.
 Commitment:
 Commitment means alignment to goals and adherence to ethical principles during the activities.
 One must believe in one’s action performed and the expected end results (confidence).
 It means one should have the conviction without an iota of doubt that one will succeed.
 Holding sustained interest and firmness, in whatever ethical means one follows, with the fervent
attitude and hope that one will achieve the goals, is commitment.
 It is the driving force to realize success.
 This is bound to add wealth to oneself, one’s employer, society, and the nation at large.

 Empathy:
 Empathy is social radar. Sensing what others feel about, without their open talk, is the essence of
empathy.
 Empathy begins with showing concern, and then obtaining and understanding the feelings of others,
from others’ point of view.
 It is also defined as the ability to put one’s self into the psychological frame or reference or point of
view of another, to know what the other person feels.
 This is an essential ingredient for good human relations and transactions.
 To practice ‘Empathy’, a leader must have or develop in him, the following characteristics:
1. Understanding others
2. Service orientation
3. Developing others
4. Leveraging diversity (opportunities through diverse people)
5. Political awareness
 The benefits of empathy include:
1. Good customer relations (in sales and service, in partnering).
2. Harmonious labor relations (in manufacturing).
3. Good vendor-producer relationship (in partnering.)

 Self-confidence:
 Certainty in one’s own capabilities, values, and goals, is self-confidence.
 These people are usually positive thinking, flexible and willing to change. They respect others so
much as they respect themselves.
 Self-confidence is positive attitude, wherein the individual has some positive and realistic view
of himself, with respect to the situations in which one gets involved.
 The self-confidence in a person develops a sense of partnership, respect, and accountability.

 The people with self-confidence have the following characteristics:

1. A self-assured standing,
2. Willing to listen to learn from others and adopt (flexibility),
3. Frank to speak the truth, and
4. Respect others’ efforts and give due credit.
 The factors that shape self-confidence in a person are:
1. Heredity (attitudes of parents) and family environment (elders),
2. Friendship (influence of friends/colleagues),
3. Influence of superiors/role models, and
4. Training in the organization.

 The following methodologies are effective in developing self-confidence in a person:

1. By evaluating their strength and weakness, they can anticipate and be prepared to face the
results.
2. Training to evaluate risks and face them (self-acceptance).
3. Self-talk . It is conditioning the mind for preparing the self to act, without any doubt on his
capabilities. This make one accepts himself while still striving for improvement.
4. Study and group discussion, on the history of leaders and innovators.
 Character:
 It is a characteristic property that defines the behavior of an individual.
 It is the pattern of virtues (morally-desirable features).
 Character includes attributes that determine a person’s moral and ethical actions and responses. It
is also the ground on which morals and values blossom.
 The character is exhibited through conduct.
 Character is determined by the expectations of society.

 Types of Character:
 From the four fundamental temperaments, various classifications of character have been adopted
by different psychologists. The intellectual, the emotional, and the volitional or energetic are the
chief types.
 M. Ribot, with more subjective division and excluding indefinite types as ‘characterless’,
recognizes the forms as:
(a) the sensitive (humble, contemplative and emotional,
(b) the active (great and the mediocre), and
(c) the apathetic (purely apathetic or dull), and
(d) the intelligent.
 Ethics and Character:
 Whilst psychology investigates the growth of different types of character, ethics considers the
relative value of such types and the virtues which constitute them.

 Education and Character:

 The aim of education is not only the cultivation of the intellect but also the formation of moral
character.

 Building Character in the Workplace:

 Managers have to influence and employ creative means of stressing the importance of good
character in the workplace:
(a) Employee Hiring, Training, and Promotion Activities
(b) Internal Communication
(c) External Communication
(d) Financial and Human Resources
(e) Community Outreach
 Spirituality:
 Spirituality is a way of living that emphasizes the constant awareness and recognition of the
spiritual dimension (mind and its development) of nature and people, with a dynamic balance
between the material development and the spiritual development.
 Spirituality is motivation as it encourages the colleagues to perform better.
 Creativity in spirituality means conscious efforts to see things differently, to break out of habits
and outdated beliefs to find new ways of thinking.

 Spirituality in the Workplace:

 Building spirituality in the workplace: Spirituality is promoted in the workplace by adhering to
the following activities:

1. Verbally respect the individuals as humans and recognize their values in all decisions and
actions.
2. Get to know the people with whom you work and know what is important to them.
3. State your personal ethics and your beliefs clearly.
4. Support causes outside the business.
5. Encourage leaders to use value-based decision making.
6. Demonstrate your own self-knowledge and spirituality in all your actions.
7. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
 Spirituality for Corporate Excellence:
 The spiritual traits to be developed for excellence in corporate activities are listed as follows:
1. Self-awareness — Realization of self-potential.
2. Alertness in observation and quickness in decision making i.e., spontaneity which includes
quick reflexes, no delay but also no hasty decisions.
3. Being visionary and value based — This includes an attitude towards future of the
organization and the society, with clear objectives.
4. Holism — Whole system or comprehensive views and interconnected with different aspects.
Holistic thinking, which means the welfare of the self, family, organization and the society
including all other living beings and environment.
5. Compassion — Sympathy, empathy and concern for others.
6. Respect for diversity — It means search for unity in diversity i.e., respect others and their
views.
7. Moral Autonomy — It means action based on rational and moral judgment. One need not
follow the crowd or majority i.e., band-wagon effect.
8. Creative thinking and constant reasoning — Think if we can do something new and if we
can improve further?
9. Ability to analyze and synthesize — Refrain from doing something only traditional.
10. Positive views of adversity — Make adversities one’s source of power. Every threat is
converted into opportunity.
11. Humility — The attitude to accept criticism and willing to correct. It includes modesty and
acknowledging the work of colleagues.
12. Sense of vocation — Treat the duty as a service to society, besides your organization.
 Introduction to yoga and meditation for professional excellence and stress
management:

 Yoga, which developed in India, is an ancient tradition of bringing together the physical, emotional,
mental and spiritual aspects of our being.
 The goal of yoga is to recognize our true nature and the inherent wisdom.
 The word yoga is derived from the Sanskrit verbal root “yuj” which means “to yoke”. It has a wide
array of meanings which range from “union” to “spiritual endeavor”.
 Essentially, yoga means union; union within yourself, union with the divine spirit within and
harmony between you and all that is within your world.
The practice of yoga involves stretching the body and forming different poses, while
keeping breathing slow and controlled. The body becomes relaxed and energized at the same time.
There are various styles of yoga, some moving through the poses more quickly, almost like an
aerobic workout and other styles relaxing deeply into each pose. Some have a more spiritual angle,
while others are used purely as a form of exercise.

 Benefits of the practice of yoga:

 Makes the body strong and flexible; it also improves the functioning of the respiratory, circulatory,
digestive, and hormonal systems.
 Yoga brings about emotional stability and clarity of mind.
 In the practice of Yoga the ultimate aim is one of self-development and self-realization.
 Self Realization through yoga:

 Yoga is a powerful, internal experience, which integrates the body, the senses, the mind, and the
intelligence, with the self. Yoga is a system where every person can realize his or her full
potential.
 Four Ways to Self-Realization: (Yoga being one of them)
 The path to knowledge (jnana marg)
When the practitioner learns to difference between the real and the unreal
 The path of selflessness (karma marg)
Service without thought of reward
 The path of love and devotion (bhakti marg)
 The path of self control (yoga marg)
The mind and its actions are brought under total control.
‘All these paths lead to the same goal of total oneness’

 Yoga, Meditation and Stress Management:

 Yoga offers an effective method of managing and reducing stress, anxiety, and depression, and
numerous studies demonstrate the efficacy of yoga on mood-related disorders.
 Yoga, a form of mind-body exercise, has become an increasingly widespread therapy used to
maintain wellness, and alleviate a range of health problems and ailments.
 Meditation is a practice in which an individual trains the mind or induces a mode of
consciousness, either to realize some benefit or for the mind to simply acknowledge its content
without becoming identified with that content or as an end in it.
 These days, meditation is commonly used for relaxation and stress reduction. It is considered as a
type of mind-body complementary medicine. Meditation produces a deep state of relaxation and
eases many health concerns, such as high blood pressure, depression and anxiety by repeating a
mantra and closing the eyes.
 Yoga and Meditation together helps an individual to:
(A) Achieve professional excellence and manage stress because of the work pressure and other
factors in the organization.
(B) Mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, stress and insomnia are among the most
common reasons that lack individuals from performing their best.
(C) It encourages one to relax, slow the breath and focus on the present.
(D) It generates balanced energy which is vital to the function of the immune system. This
practice optimizes the body’s responses to stressful stimuli and restores it to normal conditions.

Stress has a negative impact on the immune system and prolonged exposure
increases susceptibility to disease and leads to physical and mental health problems such as
anxiety and depression. Practicing yoga and meditation has no side effect, yoga based
interventions is an alternative option for the treatment of mood disorders.
 Social Work and Societal Expectations:

 Social work is a profession in which trained professionals are devoted to helping vulnerable
people and communities work through challenges they face in everyday life. Social workers
practice in a wide variety of settings, united in their commitment to advocating for and improving
the lives of individuals, families, groups and societies.

 What is the role of social workers?

While there is a diverse array of settings in which social workers practice, together social workers
share the commitment to:
 Promote social welfare
 Help people from all backgrounds overcome the individual challenges they are facing
 Advocate for social and economic justice for members of diverse communities
 Embody the social work code of ethics

 Scope of social work practice:

Social workers create change in many ways — from high, systems-level change (macro practice)
to the individual level (micro practice). Social workers make an impact at all levels of practice:
 Micro – one-to-one e.g. family, small group
 Mezzo – group of people e.g. school, prison, hospital and neighborhoods
 Macro – related to policy making e.g. government, research and community based initiatives.
 Societal Expectations from social workers:

The fundamental duties of social workers typically include the following:

 Identifying communities in need of support
 Assessing the needs, circumstances, and support systems of clients
 Working with clients to determine achievable, actionable goals and plans to meet them
 Intervening in crisis situations involving abuse, mental health emergencies, or trauma
 Maintaining clients’ records, case files, and paperwork
 Connecting clients to resources, such as health care and food assistance
 Developing and strengthening programs and services that benefit clients
 Providing psychotherapy services, if a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW)
 Essential Steps of ethical problem solving:

1. DETERMINE whether there is an ethical issue or/and dilemma. Is there a conflict of

values, or rights, or professional responsibilities?

2. IDENTIFY the key values and principles involved. What meanings and limitations are
typically attached to these competing values?

3. RANK the values or ethical principles which - in your professional judgment - are most
relevant to the issue or dilemma. What reasons can you provide for prioritizing one competing
value/principle over another?

4. DEVELOP an action plan that is consistent with the ethical priorities that have been
determined as central to the dilemma. Have you conferred with clients and colleagues, as
appropriate, about the potential risks and consequences of alternative courses of action? Can you
support or justify your action plan with the values/principles on which the plan is based?

5. IMPLEMENT your plan, utilizing the most appropriate practice skills and competencies.
How will you make use of core social work skills such as sensitive communication, skillful
negotiation, and cultural competence?

6. REFLECT on the outcome of this ethical decision making process. How would you
evaluate the consequences of this process for those involved:
(A) Client(s), (B) Professional(s), and (C) Agency(-ies)
 Code of ethics – A balanced outlook on Law:

The ‘codes of ethics’ exhibit, rights, duties, and obligations of the members of a profession and a
professional society.

 Role:
The codes exhibit the following essential roles:
 Inspiration and guidance.
 Support to engineers.
 Deterrence (discourage to act immorally) and discipline (regulate to act morally).
 Education and mutual understanding.
 Create good public image.
 Promotes business interests.

 Limitations:
The codes are not remedy for all evils. They have many limitations, namely:
 General and vague wordings.
 Not applicable to all situations.
 They can not be treated as final moral authority for professional conduct.
 Only a few enroll as members in professional society and non-members can not be compelled.
 Unawareness.
 Different societies have different codes.
 Codes are said to be coercive.
 A balanced outlook on Law:

The ‘balanced outlook on law’ in engineering practice stresses the necessity of laws and
regulations and also their limitations in directing and controlling the engineering practice.

 Proper Role of Laws:

Good laws when enforced effectively produce benefits. They establish minimal standards of
professional conduct and provide a motivation to people. Further they serve as moral support and
defense for the people who are willing to act ethically.
Thus, it should include:
1. The rules which govern engineering practice should be construed as of responsible
experimentation rather than rules of a game (which are conventional and strict).
2. Precise rules and sanctions are suitable in case of ethical misconduct, especially where public
is involved.
3. In situations where the experimentation is large and time consuming, the rules must not try to
cover all possible outcomes, and they should not compel the engineers to follow rigid courses of
action.
4. The regulation should be broad, but make engineers accountable for their decisions, and
5. Through their professional societies, the engineers can facilitate framing the rules, amend
wherever necessary, and enforce them, but without giving-in for conflicts of interest.
Thank You!