Engineering Ethics Beyond Engineers' Ethics Essay

Engineering Ethics Beyond Engineers' Ethics - Essay Example These concepts are Act Utilitarianism, Rule Utilitarianism, Golden Rule, Rights (Human Rights), moral responsibility ; malpractice, reasonable care, and moral personality. Basart and Serra begin their article by summarizing the main tenets of conventional engineering ethics. Basart and Serra affirm that the conventional engineering Ethics is mostly focused on engineer’s ethics, in other words, engineering ethics is mainly based on giving the engineers the professional directives on the right conduct in their engineering prrofession. Basart and Serra goes on to explain that, since the practice of engineering involves a complex network of interrelationships between the individual engineers, their employers, organizations, and other groups, there is the need to have engineering ethics that would act as a guide for all the â€Å"stake-holders† in the engineering practice/profession. In the conventional engineering ethics, the engineering ethics that we studied in class, the engineer’s ethics and the engineering ethics are taken as one and the same thing. The result of this is a holistic ethics that enables the individual engineers to act responsibly as individuals, and to make good moral judgements on any ethical dilemma that may arise in their complex relationships in the engineering practice/profession. Having articulated the position of the conventional engineering ethics, Basart and Serra critiqued the traditional engineering ethics and stated that the conventional engineering ethics is not the best engineering approach in the modern interrelated world (Basart, and Serra, web). Basart and Serra argue that in the modern world, technology has alienated us from nature, thus leading to new ethical challenges that the conventional engineering ethics does not address. For this reason, Basart and Serra argue that the best approach to engineering ethics in the modern world is constant dialogues, among

Country Comparisons Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Country Comparisons - Assignment Example Japan has been experiencing declining birth rates together with low immigration rates over the last few years which have greatly contributed to the low population growth rate. Japan’s population is estimated to decline over the next coming years by about one million people each year (Connelly, 2008). United States has the best performing economy in the world with an annual average Gross Domestic Product of US$ 5337.70 billion. According to CIA World Fact book, United States GDP for the year ended 2011 was estimated at 17720 billion US dollars. This GDP has an annual average estimate growth rate of 3.25% with a 1.6% growth recorded in the year 2011 over 2010. Japan on the other side, has an annual Gross Domestic Product of US$ 2266.10 billion with an annual average growth of 2.15%. According to the CIA World Fact book, Japan’s 2011 GDP was reported to be US$ 5855billion with a growth of 0.6 percent over 2010. This shows that both countries have a high GDP as well as high growth rates (survey 2003), (CIA). Japan was reported to have a high per capita income of $39310 in December 2010. The average per capita income over the last few years has been $26593.62. United States on the other hand has an average per capita income of $25892.70 with $37,527 recorded for 2010 which is slightly below the Japan’s (Greenaway, 2012). United States has had an average inflation rate of 3.38% while Japan has had inflation rate of 2.97%. Japan recorded 0.3% inflation in February 2012 whereas United States recorded a 2.7% in March 2012 (CIA). Due to the adoption of China’s one-child policy, the population is reported to have a low population growth rate of 0.47 percent. This policy is the reason why the population consists majorly the aged. China is the most populous country in the world 1,226,718,015 people. This consists 20% of the world’s population.

Coursework for Critical and Postmodern Theories of Organizations Essay

Coursework for Critical and Postmodern Theories of Organizations - Essay Example critical ideas have offered scepticism regarding the moral defensibility and the social and ecological sustainability of prevailing conceptions and forms of management in an organization. The critical ideas have focussed much on the social injustice and environmental destructiveness of the social and economic systems that managers and firms serve and reproduce hence changing the way the managers behave. In determination of how critical ideas have changed the way managers behave in an environment, I have to analyze a critical communication theory. A critical communication theory was developed to ensure that financial health and stability of a corporation while increasing the representation of the employees and their human interests. The proponents of critical ideologies explain the difference between managerial control and co-determination. They argue that strategy of managers is the overt managerial move to extend control. In this sense, employers try to put their employees in a set routine without the employees realizing it hence this restricts the employees and doesn't allow them to express their feelings or thoughts (Alvesson 1996). In this theory, it is argued that consent is the convert control without objection hence it is where the employees know about the routine and realize they are working in an environment that restricts them but does it willingly or at least for understandable reasons. On the other hand, involvement is the free expression of ideas and these ideas come from the corporation and its managers. They argue that the employees are involved only because they want to make sure their grievances are heard and managers see this as a chance for the employees to blow off some steam. However, the voice of the employees can only be heard when they go from involvement to participation hence participation is where employees have a chance to speak their minds and ideas. They argue that it is only through this that the employees can take pride in their work and have company loyalty (Horrocks, 2009). From the above, it is obvious that a manager who adopts these ideas would include the employees in the decision making of the company since he would want to avoid publicity through anti- management riots and media focus. The ideals in this theory are more socialist as opposed to capitalist hence if a manager adopts them; employees would determine much how the company works. Therefore a critical theory approach explores ways to ensure financial health of institutions while also increasing the representation of diverse human interests. From this, organizations are regarded as political as well as financial institutions. These ideas also show how communication practices often distort decision- making within institutions. These ideas have made the managers to change their behaviours in the way they carry out their managerial responsibilities. The theory has also considered the corporate colonization of everyday life through intrusive prese nce of big corporations, concentration in a few brands, media pre occupation with corporate health more than indices of social health and a decrease in the quality of life. This theory thus

Fraud, Errors and Illegal Acts Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Fraud, Errors and Illegal Acts - Term Paper Example Internal control, proper reporting mechanism and the implementation of sound accounting policies and procedures shall rest with the management due to which, role of management has increased. A forensic accountant must have an in-depth study of the documents presented and should have the command to use computer software and so on. Forensic auditors must have excellent written and oral communication skill. Auditors must be aware of IT application and business processes to have a grip on IT related frauds. To nab the tax dodgers, Internal Revenue Service has number of trained people who gather information from different sources / channels to be used to detect tax frauds. IRS has the power to confiscate property of the tax defaulter / tax dodger in order to pressurize them to clear their tax liabilities. FRAUD, ERRORS AND ILLEGAL ACTS The Auditors’ Responsibilities to Detect Fraud, Errors and Illegal Acts The basic responsibility of an auditor is to detect fraud, errors and illega l acts that takes place in an organization and report it to the competent committee for audit to take appropriate measures to prevent fraud, errors and illegal acts (Alleyne & Howard 2005). ... controls, absence of controls, ineffective controls and overriding of controls by the management that culminates fraudulent expenses and skimmed of assets; to pinpoint the individual(s) that are involved in fraudulent transaction, their attitude and past history; identify the loopholes attracting fraud(s) and to suggest management / competent committee of the Board to plug in the identified loopholes (AICPA 2002). After the debacle of Enron and World Com, the American legislatures drafted and promulgated an act named as â€Å"Sarbanes Oxley Act-2002† just to restore the investor’s confidence. The act sets the new pattern of accountability and imposition of penalties for the wrongdoers (Alleyne & Howard 2005). According to laid down criteria, auditors have to take into account the mentioned criterion while auditing an enterprise. Auditors who have conducted audit of an organization shall keep audit reviews for a period of five years. Auditors are to certify the effective ness of internal controls of an entity wherein they conducted audit. They have to advise the management to form a team of experts from finance, audit, information technology, operation, risk management and legal to evolve comprehensive procedure for an effective control on financial transactions (Alleyne & Howard 2005). The team of experts should directly be reporting to the CEO/CFO of the company for necessary guidance and instructions in light of the audit reports. Management should bear the cost of compliance to improve / revamp existing system for an effective internal control. Auditors should not encroach upon the discretions of management for implementation of comprehensive procedure concerning effective internal controls or overcome the internal control deficiencies.  

Critical discussion of Business Ethics and the Internet Essay

Critical discussion of Business Ethics and the Internet - Essay Example Moreover, it is widely accepted that the organisations often tends to improve their range of social responsiveness activities to reduce or to protect themselves from various external hindrances (McGraw-Hill Education n.d.). Emphasising upon the changing phase of the organisational policies associated with business ethics, the primary objective of this report is to briefly analyse the ethical performance of a Social Networking Site (SNS) named Facebook in the global social networking industry. The discussion of this paper will incorporate the core ethical practices that perform by Facebook along with different issues are likely to hinder its overall business performance. Additionally, the report will provide adequate suggestions intending to protect the organisation from encountering various ethical dilemmas. Facebook and its Ethical Performances Brief Overview of Facebook By providing exceptional experience of social media service to the millions of global users, Facebook has recogni sed itself as one of the leading and dominating organisations throughout the globe. It was established in the year 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg through his unique thoughts of connecting a range number of global users on a single platform. According to the present day context, Facebook has been able to acquire nearly 1.1 billion of Monthly Active Users (MAUs) across different parts of the globe. Moreover, the company is also renowned for its transformational growth since its commencement in the global social media network. The company basically earns its revenues from advertising amounted to US$1.46 billion which has surpassed the rate of 38% growth as compared to the year 2012 (Facebook, 2013). Ethical Performance of Facebook An effective practice of business ethics can significantly increase the performance of the organisations which ensures to enhance their credibility in the competitive business environment. In this regard, the practice of adequate code of ethics can assist the organi sations to deliver quality products or services to the customers enable them to attract as well as retain a huge group of loyal customers (Brimmer, 2011). Moreover, adequate quality assurance of the organisational offerings can also facilitate the organisations to meet the desired expectations of the customers. Moreover, practicing a well-built set of business ethics can also ensure to improve the organisational productivity that can be considered as one of the major beneficial factors for the present business environment. Additionally, an appropriate ethical performance of the organisations also brings different advantages and enables it to gain competitiveness in the growing global business environment (Dimitriades, 2007). In order to determine the ethical performance of Facebook, it has been viewed that it incorporates a wide practice of ethical conducts which ensures protecting from various ethics related concerns. In relation to the ethical practice of Facebook, the company bro adly adopts as well as executes well-built ethical guidelines with regard to its independent nature in the global social media services. An effective governance system enables the company to efficiently perform its business operations in different global nations. The code of business ethi

Torqueville's and Stowe's perception of race-relations furing Essay

Torqueville's and Stowe's perception of race-relations furing Pre-civil War Era - Essay Example So from the sociological theorist’s perspective, he has to carefully deplore the practice of slavery after a thorough examination of its role in the country’s economy, culture and politics. Therefore, Tocqueville’s stance about slavery seems to be often confusing and critical, though his statements i.e. â€Å"I am moved at the spectacle of man's degradation by man, and I hope to see the day when the law will grant equal civil liberty to all the inhabitants of the same empire†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Tocqueville 45), â€Å"An old and sincere friend of America, I am uneasy at seeing Slavery retard her progress†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Tocqueville 56) seem to be an anti-racist’s proclamation against the racism and the evil of slavery in American society. A deep sociopolitical and cultural assessment of the African-American minority in the racially segregated white society has convinced him to believe that the assimilation of the Negroes into the mainstream of the society, as o pposed to the American Indians, was almost impossible. Indeed Tocqueville’s prediction of the African Americans future has been summarized in the following lines: If I were called upon to predict the future, I should say that the abolition of slavery in the South will in the common course of things, increase the repugnance of the white population for the blacks. I base this opinion upon the analogous observation I have already made in the North. I have remarked that the white inhabitants of the North avoid the Negroes with increasing care in proportion as the legal barriers of separation are removed by the legislature; and why should not the same result take place in the South? (Tocqueville 68) At this point, Stowe vehemently opposes Tocqueville’s belief. For her, since Christianity, being the religion of the majority of American society, is very much incompatible with the perpetuating inhumanity of slavery, it could lapse the divide between the races and bring them on the same platform of humanity. But Stowe has failed to address how a community, which has been detached from the age-old traditions and culture, would assimilate into a culture which has been an oppressive reality so far. Possibly her faith in Christianity’s as well as humanity’s ability to dispense the socio-cultural gap between the communities provokes her to depict Uncle Tom as a devout Christian and a man, driven by humanity, who could risk his life for the sake of a white girl Eva. Further Stowe’s faith in Christianity’s ability to repel the evil of slavery is expressed in Mrs. Bird’s speech: â€Å"I don’t know anything about politics, but I can read my Bible; and there I see that I must feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and comfort the desolate; and that Bible I mean to follow.† (Stowe 78) Though Stowe’s prediction of a race-blind society upon the basis of Christian humanity seems to be a fallacy, it was a powerhouse of moral strength for the abolitionist to wither the brutal tyranny from the white people’s part and to free the black people to take any course of assimilation they might choose. Obviously, the Civil War, the Reconstruction and the

Social and environmental sustainability vs Financial sustainability Essay

Social and environmental sustainability vs Financial sustainability - Essay Example The differences among social as well as environmental sustainability and financial sustainability can be resolved based on the different views. Social economic is also essential for the purpose of doing a business properly and improve economic growth of businesses. In the recent trends, there is a huge scope for a business. Sustainability can also be defined as the long-term growth economically, financially, environmentally and socially (IFC, 2012). In this context, the paper deals with the implications of the differences among social as well as environmental sustainability and financial sustainability in two ways such as the ways through which they can operate their business properly and also can report on their activities. In addition, it intends to explain how these differences can be reconciled or resolved along with the major obstacles for reconciling different views. Social and environmental sustainability is different from financial sustainability based on going concern of the accountants. Social and environmental sustainability is important to prevent the issues related to social and environmental aspects and on the other hand, financial sustainability is essential to prevent financial issues in a business. In a business, there are several factors, which play an important role for the development of a business. Social sustainability helps to support the future generation to maintain a healthy as well as well-being society and community (IFC, 2012). Environmental sustainability can be described as the process through which demands of an environment can be attained. Environmental sustainability is also important to reduce the negative impact of the business and to take effective decisions regarding the business purpose and also for the improvement of the natural environment. On the other hand, financial sustainability means long-term