Global Issues

7

GLOBAL ISSUES

Global refe •r s International Context of to:

engineering • Social & Environmental Dimensions of Engineer’s Work • Engineers need to consider these •2

aspects

while

making

What do we discuss

•

under Global Issues ?

1

•

Multinational

Corporations 2

•

Environmental

Ethics • 3

Computer Ethics

• 1)

Multinational

Corporations (MNCs)

• Corporates business

that

have

interests

in

many countries across the Globe • Issues related to MNCs

•M N C s do business across Globes • probably because of 3. Inexpensive Labour 4. Availability of Abundant & Cheap Natural Resources 5. Favourable Tax

Host Country antages

Adv

• Creation of Most Jobs • Social Benefits from Wealth Sharing • Higher Living Standard • Overall Prosperity • Access to Latest Technology • Probably Better /Refined

•

However , the ultimate question to

be answered

is : •

What

are

the

responsibilities

moral of

the

Corporations & Individuals operating

in

a

Foreign

MORAL

RELATIVI SM ( C o Judgement ntextua m • Moral is l is made w.r.t factors that vary from case to case • That is,moral judgement are contextual • Particularly , Laws & Customs

ETHICAL RELA • It saysTthat are I V Iactions SM morally right within a particular society when they are approved by Law, Custom or other

4 AREAS

OF IMPORT • ANCE •fA) toE R Aguide o rStandard MNC OP TIO

Engineers

‘conduct

when

working in a Foreign Country • B) International Rights • C) Promotion of Morally Just Measures • D) Technology

Transfer

&

•A) S T A N D A R D

TO GUIDE EN •G IFollow N E E R Sthe C Orules N D U Cof T

the country in which you work • When in Rome do as Romans do ( Ethical

B)

INTERNATIO NAL •ThomasRDonaldson’s I G H T S list of International Rights : • Right to • Freedom of Physical Movement • Ownership of Property • Freedom from Torture

•

Non discriminatory Treatment

•

A Physical Security

•

Freedom of Speech & Association

•

Minimal Education

•

Political Participation

•

Subsistence

C) P R O M O T I N G M O R A L LY JUST ME • Overall A business S U R E S dealings must

promote

morally

just

institutions in the society • Help the overall economy to improve and not benefit the corrupt few • Contextual approach needed

D) T E C H N O L O G Y T R A N SFER & AP PReOcPhRnI A HN On L o Tl Eo g TyE C T ra •T

sfer • The process of moving technology to a new setting & implementing there • Transfer of technology

A P PR O P R I A T E T E C H N • Refers to identification O L O G Y , transfer & implementation of the most suitable technology for a new set of conditions

•

Appropriateness may scrutinized in terms of

be

Ø Scale , Technical & Managerial Skill Ø

Materials & Energy

Ø

Physical

Environment

/

•

Appropriate also

technology

implies

that

the

technology should contribute and

not

sustainable

distract

from

development of

the Host country •

Conditions

include

Social

2) •

ENVIRONMENTAL E are T H responsible ICS Engineers for

creation of technology that lead to damage of the •

Engineers

environment are

thus

responsible for working to find solutions to problems and

created

can potentially be created

•We share a environment , OSPHERE” •

common “EC

Goal is to

•

Control Introduction Toxic & Unnatural Substances

•

Protect Biosphere

of

ANTHROPOCENTRIC & • ECOCENTRIC ETHICS

• Anthropocentric • Only Human Beings have moral standing. Animal & plants are important only in respect of their usefulness to humans Ecocentric • Talks wholesome • A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity , stabailityand beauty of Biotic

• The

human

Anthropocentric nature from

have an

centered

or

views

of

shifted

exploitative

away to

a

conservationist attitude • Recognition of the limits of

A P PR O A C H E S for R E S OLVINGENVIRONMEN • C o sTt A L ObP l iR v io pp O uBsL EAM Sr o a ch • Cost not taken into account. Only the acceptable level of environmental degradation is criterion • Cost B e n e f it Approach

A n a l y s is

HOW

•

E N G I N E ER S DEAL WITH ENVIRO PROB EMS? Making Ldecisions thro‘

both

Professional

&

Personal Ethics •

By following applicable Federal,

State

&

•

Following Professional Code that tells us that “Safety of Human & Environment is of Paramount Importance”

•

Not making decisions in areas in which he is not competent

• When choosing a career , Engineers should ask what extent does a • To particular industry affect the environment? • To what extent can those effects be controlled physically or regulated politically ? • Have all reasonable abatement measures been implemented ?

3) •

COMPUTER E Computers many T H Iprovide CS

benefits to society and unfortunately can also be misused grossly leading to serious Ethical issues • Engineers’ roles as Designer, Manager and User bring with them

•

3

BROAD CATEG • 1 Computer an O R I E S is instrument

for

unethical

act ( defrauding a Bank ) • 2

is the object of Act

(software stolen) • 3 (

Autonomous computer

to

Nature take

• • • • • • •

CASES OF COMPUTER Stealing ABUSE or Cheating by

employees at work Stealing by non- employees or former employees Cheating Clients/ Customers Using Computer network for Widespread fraud Hacking Virus Injection Alteration of Database

4) WEAPONS DEVELOPMENT Development

•Weapons

(

by

Engineers only ) needs to be seen

in

the

Engineering Ethics •Rights

of

weapons

context &

Engineers are

of

meant

-

as for

destruction only – •There

is

an

Engineering

E N G I N E ER S ’ I N V O L V E M Engineer ENT • ‘A’ is a Chemical •‘B’ s employer manufactures antipersonnel Bombs • ‘C’ is specialised Control & Guidance

in

Missile

• ‘D’s foremost love is Physical Electronics •‘E’ is an Electronic Engineer – Avionics for Fighter Plane

SUMMARY is

•Engineering becoming

a

increasingly

Social

Experiment

that pervades all aspects of life within

and

across

national

boundaries •This

requires

Engineers

to

achieve wider perspective on their