IM111 – INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
Education for Engineering
• To keep pace with a changing world, engineers must be educated to solve problems that are as yet unheard of.
• Engineering education should provide:
• A broad base in scientific and engineering principles
• Some study in humanities and social sciences
• Specialized studies in a chosen engineering curriculum
Desirable Characteristics
1. Interest and ability in math and science 2. Ability to think in a logical manner
3. Knack for problem solving
4. Curiosity about how and why things work 5. A passion for solving modern-day challenges
More Characteristics
• Leadership in student organizations
• Internship or cooperative education experiences
• Participation in community or service learning projects
• Participation in many other related activities
26%
6%
15%
3%
Engineering Specialty Engineering Sciences Physical Sciences Sociohumanistic
Oral & Written Communication
Course of Study
Introductory Engineering
• It is required in the early stages of engineering education.
• It aims to develop skills in the application of theory to practical problem solving and familiarity with engineering terminology.
• Examples include design, graphics, computer programing, and computations courses.
Mathematics
• Is the engineer’s most powerful problem-solving tool.
• Courses in calculus, vector analysis, and differential equations are common to all engineering disciplines.
• Statistics, numerical analysis, and other mathematics courses support some engineering specialty areas.
Physical Sciences
• Chemistry and physics are almost universally required in engineering.
• They are fundamental to the study of engineering science.
• Higher-level chemistry and physics also may be required for certain specialty programs.
Engineering Sciences
• They are fundamental for engineering specialties.
• Require background in mathematics and physical sciences.
• Examples include electrical science, materials science, mechanics, and thermodynamics courses.
Engineering Specialty
• It is the set of specialized courses that cover a certain engineering discipline.
• Most curricula allow students flexibility in selecting a few courses within their area of specialty.
• Sample courses include aerodynamics, combustion, control systems, machine design, metallurgy, microwave theory, nuclear engineering, operations research, plant layout, production processes,
semiconductors, solid mechanics, space mechanics, structures, transportation, and unit operations.
Oral and Written Communication
• An engineer cannot be successful without the ability to communicate ideas and the results of work efforts.
• All engineers write reports and orally present their ideas.
• Usually engineers need to communicate with nontechnical people.
• Examples include English, speech, and report writing courses.
General and Sociohumanistic
• It is a small portion of most engineering curricula.
• It helps the engineering student to understand the potential impact of engineering on the environment and the general society.
• Such courses discuss the interaction between engineers and the general public.
• Examples include art, economics, history, management, accounting, and business courses.
Continuing Education
• The learning process does not end by earning a bachelor degree
• Continuing education can take many forms such as
• Preparation for a professional license
• Seminars
• Short courses
• Professional conferences
Ethics
• The code of moral principles that sets standards of “good” or “bad”, or “right” or “wrong”, in one’s conduct.
• It is the guide to personal conduct of a professional.
• Most technical societies have a written code of ethics for their members.
Ethics in Engineering
• Engineers must exhibit:
• Honesty
• Integrity
• Impartiality
• Fairness
• Equity
Ethical Dilemma
• A situation that offers potential benefit or gain and is also unethical
• Ethical dilemma checklist
• Identify your options
• Decide which option to follow
• Test each option
• Is it legal?
• Is it right?
• Is it beneficial?
• Spotlight questions (the public disclosure)
• If my family knew
Ethical Decisions: What Would You Do? (1 of 3)
• Assume that you are a middle manager in a company. You are negotiating a contract with a very large potential customer whose representative has hinted that you could almost certainly be assured of getting his business if you give him and his wife an all-expenses- paid cruise to the Caribbean. You know the representative’s employer would not approve of such a “payoff”, but you have the discretion to
Ethical Decisions: What Would You Do? (2 of 3)
• Your company’s policy on reimbursement for meals while travelling on business is that you will be repaid for your out-of-pocket costs, not to exceed $80 per day. You don’t need receipts for these expenses, the company will take your word. When travelling, you tend to eat at fast-food places and rarely spend in excess of $20 a day. Most of your colleagues put in reimbursement requests in the range of $55 to $60 per day, regardless of what their actual expenses are.
• How much would you request for your meal reimbursements?
Ethical Decisions: What Would You Do? (3 of 3)
• You work for a company that manufacture nutritional supplements and sell them to nutrition stores. One of the company’s best-selling products is an herbal supplement called Rosalife. The company advertises that Rosalife “achieves all the gains of estrogen hormone replacement therapy without any of the side effects”. One day, a research assistant tells you that while researching another product, she came across a recent study that suggests Rosalife does not offer
Improving Ethics
• Ethics training:
• Structured programs that help participants to understand ethical aspects of decision making
• Helps people incorporate high ethical standards into daily life
• Helps people deal with ethical issues under pressure
Resume Lies
• According to Harvard Business School
• Over 50% of people lie on their resume
• A survey highlighted that 60% from job seekers recommending lying
• Examples:
• Creating a more impressive job title
Chief Ethics Officer
• Is a company executive who oversees ethics and legal compliance
• Role:
• Avoiding conflicts of interest
• Ensuring that the company’s disclosure controls and procedures function properly
• Complying with laws, rules, and regulations of all governments
• Reporting to the general counsel any violations of the Code of Ethics
Return on Ethics
• Ethics, or the price of right, is essentially priceless. Once a reputation is lost, no amount of money can buy it back.
• A survey conducted by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners found that U.S. organizations lose an estimated 7% of their annual revenues to fraud. That's equivalent to more than $1 trillion of the 2008 gross domestic product.
