VALUES AND ETHICS IN PROFESSION COURSE MATERIAL

HU301

SHREYASI DATTA

DAY 1: Effects of Technological Growth: Rapid Technological growth and depletion ofresources

Resource depletion is the consumption of a resource faster than it can be replenished. Natural resources are commonly divided between renewable resources and non-renewable resources (see also mineral resource classification). Use of either of these forms of resources beyond their rate of replacement is considered to be resource depletion.

Resource depletion is most commonly used in reference to farming, fishing, mining, water usage, and consumption of fossil fuels.

There are four basic reasons for the depletion of natural resources:

1. Rapid population increase.2. Pollution,

3. High consumption of resources, and

4. Deterioration of land.

5. 1. Rapid population increase:

6. There has been a tremendous increase in India’s population and it has now crossed 103 crores (1.03 billion). An increase in population will decrease all types of natural resources and result in environmental pollution. Ultimately, there will be short supply,as well as deterioration in quality of natural resources. This is because increase in population will increase the demand of natural resources and environment.

7. At present, the world population is increasing by two per cent every year. The industrialized countries have annual growth rate of 0.5 to 1 per cent and on the other hand the developing countries have the growth rate of 2 to 3 per cent. The per capita use of energy and mineral resources shows a difference between the developing and developed countries of the world. The developed countries consume less but their resources are enough. The population and per capita consumption have a considerableimpact on the environment. The world cannot meet the continuously increasing demand for natural resources.

8. 2. Pollution:

9. We are deteriorating our environment due to increasing population and industrial revolution. We are polluting atmosphere, lakes, streams, rivers by sewage, industrial wastes, heat, radioactive materials, detergents, fertilizers and pesticides. Besides these, we are releasing a number of toxic materials into our surroundings. The uncontrolled and indiscriminate use of pesticides has disturbed the entire food chains by which animals including man are affected.

10. It has been estimated that average individual has about 7 parts per million (ppm) DDTin his body which affects in long-term. Recent researches have revealed that this proportion of DDT in our body has deleterious effects on heart and liver and higher concentration may cause several other diseases including cancer. Many gases, e.g., carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide are known to cause respiratory troubles. The unplanned and uncontrolled industrial growth may adversely affect or destroy the health of the society.

11. Consumption of materials:

12. Due to tremendous increase of population, most of the natural resources are being rapidly consumed. This high rate of consumption has disturbed our ecosystems. But, on the other hand, many of the natural resources are essential basic human needs. Many industries require raw materials which are essential for the advancement of the country. However, their rapid consumption will affect adversely the quality of our environment either by unwise use of natural resources or by increasing pollution.

13. 4. Deterioration of land:

14. Due to excessive consumption of minerals of the soil by cropping or soil erosion or other natural events, fertility of soil is lost and the land deteriorates gradually. Sometimes drought also results in deterioration of land and many nutrients of the top soil are destroyed and soil fertility is lost. As a result of cropping, the cycling of soil mineral nutrients is greatly reduced.

15. Erosion has also depleted soil fertility because most of the minerals remain in the upper part of the soil and they are easily removed by wind or washed away by water. Sometimes water erosion takes its toll of fertile soils.

16. Man has also deteriorated agricultural land and ultimately caused the loss of national economy. It is commonly seen that man cannot degrade one part of his environment without simultaneously affecting other parts. For proper economic development lands for cropping, forest, recreation, transportation and wildlife are needed but their availability is reducing day by day. Therefore, integrated policy of resource management should be practiced, otherwise unexpected future shortage might upset the national economy.

17. Different Types of Natural Resources and Their Conservation:

18. Basically The Natural Resources Are of Two Types:

19. 1. Renewable natural resources:

20. These resources can be replenished and do not change the ecological balance. The cut trees can be grown again, soil forms again and animals reproduce themselves.

21. 2. Non-renewable natural resources:

22. Resources which once used up will be exhausted forever. Overexploitation of natural resources that are limited in stock may cause scarcity and even renewable resources, such as, water, forests, if over-exploited, require long period of time for replenishment. It clear that if the man wants to survive on this planet he must conserve the natural resources rather than merely exploit them. It does not mean mere preservation of the sources without using them. We should use the resources wisely and judiciously without wasting them.

23. Different types of these natural resources and their conservation are discussed under the following heads:

24. Mineral resources:

25. Now it is known that the world’s resources of minerals, oils, coal and natural gases are limited. Mineral resources are of several types metallic minerals and non-metallic minerals. Non-metallic or industrial minerals include a wide variety of substances which comprise the building materials such as rock, sand, gravels, cement and clay.

26. The non-metallic minerals are fertilizers which are essential to increase agricultural yield. Large amount of nitrogen in the form of nitrates is available in the natural deposits but now it is possible to fix nitrogen synthetically from air. Thus, the deficiency of nitrogen resources is compensated. Phosphorus is obtained from phosphate rocks. Although the phosphorus resources are abundant, yet not evenly distributed Potassium is also quite abundant in the world.

27. Among metals, iron, nonferrous metals, silver and gold are important. Among these, iron is the most important element because it is the main component of steel alloys. Chromium, cobalt, magnesium, molybdenum, nickel, tungsten and vanadium are included under ferroalloy elements.

28. So far as the causes of mineral loss from the soil are concerned, soil erosion and cropping are considered to be the most significant. Most of the soil nutrients remain inthe upper part of soil and many minerals of upper soil are carried away by rapid windsor running water and thus the soil becomes deficient in fertile minerals. Soil is the most important resource of nature, it is essential for human existence and provides thebasic requirements to man.

29. At present, there is a great loss of minerals all over the world which should be considered seriously Further, demands for mineral resources must be thought of seriously Although it is difficult to make exact estimate, yet there should be proper relation between demand and supply Sudden shortage of mineral resources results in poor economy It has been estimated that for a number of important minerals the resources are limited.

30. So the new resources must be supplied immediately otherwise the minerals will be exhausted within a few years. Due to excessive consumption new minerals should be added rapidly. Now it has become essential for resource- producing undeveloped countries to make some Act to maintain control over their own natural resources.

31. Even oil rich countries have formed an International Organisation of Petrol Exporting Countries (OPEC) which produces more than 50% oil of the world. It has been calculated that out of 19 important minerals 9 would be exhausted in 10 years and coal, iron and aluminium will be consumed by 2100. Therefore, entire quantity of world’s mineral reserves should be replaced time to time.

32. There are three important conservation approaches which should be taken into consideration:

33. (i) To reduce wastes and to minimize demand,

34. (ii) To change the way of life, and

35. (iii) To increase reclamation and recycling of materials.

36. Solid wastes should be reutilized for their energy content and it is possible to recycle the materials. The total demand can be met with a decrease in the consumption of newmaterials and increasing the amount of reclamation.

37. Forest Resources:

38. Forest is an important natural resource. It is the most important natural habitat for wildlife. It IS also utilized by farmers for commercial and recreational purposes. Many herbivores find shelter and carnivores search their prey in the forest. Many wildlife store food supplies and breed in the forest.

39. Besides this, forest plays most important role from commercial point of view. It is the source for a large number of products useful to man. It provides raw materials for many products of daily use. It feeds several industries which depend on wood products. Turpentine oil, paints, resins and printing paper industries get raw material from the forest. Man not only benefits from forest, but also gets recreation.

40. Forest also provides sanctuary for the modem city dwellers. Large number of people visit the forest for peace, beauty and recreation. Forest based cottage industries, such as bee-keeping, bamboo mat and basket making provide means of livelihood to the tribal people. Sal is a most important source for timber industries. Forest also providesraw materials for pulp and plywood industry.

41. Green plants of the forest are food-producing organisms and are primary producers of the “food chain”. They trap energy from the sun and use it to transform CO2 from the air, together with water and nutrients from the soil into food substances like starch, sugars, through the process of photosynthesis. These foods are stored in the fruits, nuts, seeds, nectar and wood.

42. Therefore, forest serves as an energy reservoir, trapping energy from sunlight and storing it in the forth of a biochemical product. Forest plays a most important role in keeping the atmosphere balanced by consuming CO2 and releasing O2, the latter is essential for animal life. So removal of plants and frees would disturb the compositionof natural air. An acre of forest absorbs 4 tonnes of carbon dioxide gas and releases 8 tonnes of oxygen into environment.

43. If a forest is cut down, energy stored in the wood is lost and also most of the nutrients of the system are lost. Such deforestation leaves a poor soil which can support agriculture for only a short time, because the harvesting of the first few crops removesthe remaining nutrients and renders the soil useless. Deforestation shows other disastrous results also. Removal of frees exposes the surface of the land resulting into erosion.

44. Soil is then washed away. In many places soil erosion occurs ten times more rapidly than usual, once the trees are removed. Soil erosion is particularly more on hill slopes where heavy rain sweeps soil downhill to choke rivers. The reduction of forests later affects rainfall and thereby restricts the availability of a most important natural resource, the rain water.

45. In natural forests, the free roots bind the soil and about 90 per cent of the water fallingon the forests is retained either in humus or in the plants tissue. The forest thus acts asa soaking device and plays a vital role in the hydrological cycle. The rain water thus soaked up is gradually released over the days and weeks which supply to streams and rivers even during dry seasons.

46. Hence, it is important to retain forest cover in upland catchment areas as an alternative to flooding the whole barren and uncultivable area. The washed away top soil silts river beds—, and reservoirs reduce the water holding capacity and flood in the surrounding area is a natural calamity. It has been estimated that in India 60,000 million tonnes of top soil is carried away annually by rain water from deforested area.

47. Now a days the tendency of deforestation is increasing. Man is cutting forest to get temporary benefits but there will be a tremendous loss in due course of time. Now, due to gradual destruction of forest, wildlife is disappearing and their number is becoming reduced for which government should consider various aspects of forest management.

48. Forest management programmes should be motivated by forest employees and general public to increase yield, to avoid forest cutting and to prevent forest fires. Whenever plant or timber is cut, that area must be reforested. Similarly, any forest which has been destroyed by insects, diseases, hurricanes that area should be reforested. The primary aim of the forest service is to make the greatest number of forest resources available to the maximum number of people.

49. Shifting cultivation is another practice which destroys the forest. Many farmers destroy the forest for agricultural purpose and soil is exhausted. Therefore, farmers should use the same land for cultivation and they should apply better farming methodsso that soil fertility remains restored and the soil can be used again.

50. Most severe damage of the forest is due to attack of insects, pests and fungi. Many destructive forest diseases are due to parasitic fungi, rusts, viruses and nematodes. Young seedlings are destroyed due to attack of nematodes. Many diseases such as heart rot, blister rust, oak wilt, phloem necrosis and Dutch elm diseases are common in the forest.

51. The forest diseases can be controlled up to some extent by the following methods:

52. 1. By eradication of alternative hosts.

53. 2. By using suitable antibiotics,

54. 3. By DDT spray,

55. 4. Sterilization, and

56. 5. By using resistant varieties.

57. Besides above, the following measures of forest management have been recommended:

58. 1. Reforestation.

59. 2. By improving the quality of timber.

60. 3. By converting wasteful cutting into quality yield harvesting.

61. 4. By increasing forest protection.

62. 5. By increasing forest area.

63. 6. By developing fast growing trees.

64. 7. By controlling harmful forest agents.

65. 8. By developing the better tree varieties.

66. 9. By using disease resistant varieties.

DAY 2: Reports of the Club of Rome

The Club of Rome is a global think tank that deals with a variety of international issues, including the world economic system, climate change, and environmental degradation. Founded in 1968 at Accademia dei Lincei in Rome, Italy, the Club of Rome describes itself as"a group of world citizens, sharing a common concern for the future of humanity." It consists of current and former heads of state, UN bureaucrats, high-level politicians and government officials, diplomats, scientists, economists and business leaders from around the globe. It raised considerable public attention in 1972 with its report The Limits to Growth. The club states that its mission is "to act as a global catalyst for change through the identification and analysis of the crucial problems facing humanity and the communication of such problems to the most important public and private decision makers as well as to the general public." Since1 July 2008, the organization has its headquarters in Winterthur, Switzerland. he Club of Rome raised considerable public attention with its report Limits to Growth, which has sold 30million copies in more than 30 translations, making it the best-selling environmental book in world history. Published in 1972 and presented for the first time at the International Students' Committee (ISC) annual Management Symposium in St. Gallen, Switzerland, it predicted that economic growth could not continue indefinitely because of the limited availability of natural resources, particularly oil. The 1973 oil crisis increased public concern about this problem. However, even before Limits to Growth was published, Eduard Pestel and Mihajlo Mesarovic of Case Western Reserve University had begun work on a far more elaborate model (it distinguished ten world regions and involved 200,000 equations compared with 1000 in the Meadows model). The research had the full support of the Club and the final publication, Mankind at the Turning Point was accepted as the official Second Report to the Club of Rome in 1974. In addition to providing a more refined regional breakdown, Pestel and Mesarovic had succeeded in integrating social as well as technical data. The Second Report revised the scenarios of the original Limits to Growth and gave a more optimistic prognosis for the future of the environment, noting that many of the factors were within human control and therefore that environmental and economic catastrophe were preventable or avoidable, hence the title.

In 1991, the Club published The First Global Revolution. It analyses the problems of humanity, calling these collectively or in essence the 'problematique'. It notes (laments) that, historically, social or political unity has commonly been motivated by enemies in common: "The need for enemies seems to be a common historical factor. Some states have striven to overcome domestic failure and internal contradictions by blaming external enemies. The ployof finding a scapegoat is as old as mankind itself - when things become too difficult at home, divert attention to adventure abroad. Bring the divided nation together to face an outside enemy, either a real one, or else one invented for the purpose. With the disappearance of the traditional enemy, the temptation is to use religious or ethnic minorities as scapegoats, especially those whose differences from the majority are disturbing." Every state has been so used to classifying its neighbours as friend or foe, that the sudden absence of traditional adversaries has left governments and public opinion with a great void to fill. New enemies have to be identified, new strategies imagined, and new weapons devised. "In searching for a common enemy against whom we can unite, we came up with the idea that pollution, the threat of global warming, water shortages, famine and the like, would fit the bill. In their totality and their interactions these phenomena do constitute a common threat which must be confronted by everyone together. But in designating these dangers as the enemy, we fall into the trap, which we have already warned readers about, namely mistaking symptoms for causes. All these dangers are caused by human intervention in natural processes, and it is onlythrough changed attitudes and behaviour that they can be overcome. The real enemy then is humanity itself."

In 2001 the Club of Rome established a think tank, called tt30, comprising around 30 men and women ages 25–35. It aimed to identify and solve problems in the world, from a youngerperspective.

A study by Graham Turner of the research organisation CSIRO in Australia in 2008 found that "30 years of historical data compare favorably with key features of a business-as-usual scenario called the ‘‘standard run’’ scenario, which results in collapse of the global system midway through the 21st century.

DAY3: Energy Crisis: Renewable Energy Resources

An energy crisis is any significant bottleneck in the supply of energy resources to an economy. In popular literature, it often refers to one of the energy sources used at a certain time and place, in particular those that supply national electricity grids or those used as fuel in vehicles.

Industrial development and population growth have led to a surge in the global demand for energy in recent years. In the 2000s, this new demand — together with Middle East tension, the falling value of the U.S. dollar, dwindling oil reserves, concerns over peak oil, and oil price speculation — triggered the 2000s energy crisis, which saw the price of oil reach an all-time high of $147.30 a barrel in 2008.

Causes of the Energy Crisis

It would be easy to point a finger at one practice or industry and lay the blame for the entire energy crisis at their door, but that would be a very naive and unrealistic interpretation of the cause of the crisis.

1. Overconsumption: The energy crisis is a result of many different strains on our natural resources, not just one. There is a strain on fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal due to overconsumption – which then in turn can put a strain on our water and oxygen resources by causing pollution.

2. Overpopulation: Another cause of the crisis has been the steady increase in the world’s population and its demands for fuel and products. No matter what type of food or products you choose to use – from fair trade and organic to those made from petroleum products in a sweatshop – not one of them is made or transported without a significant drain on our energy resources.

3. Poor Infrastructure: Aging infrastructure of power generating equipment is yet another reason for energy shortage. Most of the energy producing firms keep on using outdated equipment that restricts the production of energy. It is the responsibility of utilities to keep on upgrading the infrastructure and set a high standard of performance.

4. Unexplored Renewable Energy Options: Renewable energy still remains unused is most of the countries. Most of the energy comes from non-renewable sources like coal. It still remains the top choice to produce energy. Unless we give renewable energy a serious thought, the problem of energy crisis cannot be solved. Renewable energy sources can reduceour dependance on fossil fuels and also helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

5. Delay in Commissioning of Power Plants: In few countries, there is a significant delay incommissioning of new power plants that can fill the gap between demand and supply of energy. The result is that old plants come under huge stress to meet the daily demand for power. When supply doesn’t matches demand, it results in load shedding and breakdown.

6. Wastage of Energy: In most parts of the world, people do not realize the importance of conserving energy. It is only limited to books, internet, newspaper ads, lip service and seminars. Unless we give it a serious thought, things are not going to change anytime sooner. Simple things like switching off fans and lights when not in use, using maximum daylight, walking instead of driving for short distances, using CFL instead of traditional bulbs, proper

insulation for leakage of energy can go a long way in saving energy. Read here about 151 ways of saving energy.

7. Poor Distribution System: Frequent tripping and breakdown are result of a poor distribution system.

8. Major Accidents and Natural Calamities: Major accidents like pipeline burst and naturalcalamities like eruption of volcanoes, floods, earthquakes can also cause interruptions to energy supplies. The huge gap between supply and demand of energy can raise the price of essential items which can give rise to inflation.

9. Wars and Attacks: Wars between countries can also hamper supply of energy specially if it happens in Middle East countries like Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, UAE or Qatar. That’s what happened during 1990 Gulf war when price of oil reached its peak causing globalshortages and created major problem for energy consumers.

10. Miscellaneous Factors: Tax hikes, strikes, military coup, political events, severe hot summers or cold winters can cause sudden increase in demand of energy and can choke supply. A strike by unions in an oil producing firm can definitely cause an energy crisis.

DAY 4: Environmental degradation and pollution. Eco-friendly Technologies

Basic Concepts Of Eco-friendly Technology

Eco-friendly technology is used to produce environment friendly products by using renewable resources. This article is an attempt to provide the basic concepts of eco-friendlytechnology.

Eco-friendly means "being friendly to the environment". Eco-friendly technology is all about optimization of renewable resources without harming the environment. Aim of this technology is "do more by using less". This technology makes sure that we use fewer resources with full efficiency for gaining more profitability and productivity. By using this technology we can get energy from the sun, water, wind and sea. This technology is also known as sustainable technology.

Objectives

There are some main objectives

produce electricity. Various Dams and reservoirs are being used as a source of electricity generation.

Tidal power EnergyEarth is mainly covered by the sea; approximately ¾ area of earth is covered by water. In a sea we can get three types of energy : 1. energy of waves, 2. energy of tides and 3. energy of sea current. But it is not easy to convert sea power to electric power. It needs a lot of investment and advanced technology.

Advantages of using Eco-friendly Technology

1. We can protect our environment by reducing toxic emissions of gases and liquids from various industries. We can increase the recovery and reuse of waste or scrap materials.

2. Now people are more aware about environment protection. Hence companies can increase their brand image through providing eco-friendly products.

3. Due to the various awareness campaigns, people are more alert about the environment. They are intended to buy eco-friendly products. It will give a healthy competition among the companies.

4. By developing new innovative products, companies can earn credibility and fame among the customers.

5. We can reduce cost of products by using energy and materials more efficiently and by bulk production.

6. It will help to produce environment friendly products.

7. It will reduce risk also by not using toxic substances.

There can be innumerable advantages of eco-friendly technology. It depends on us that what extent we can use this eco-friendly technology.

DAY 5: Environmental Ethics, Environmental Regulations

What are the different statutes / legislations enacted in India exclusively forenvironmental protection?The different statutes / legislations enacted in India exclusively for environmentprotection are

The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974

The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Rules, 1975

The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Act, 1977

The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Rules, 1978

The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981

The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Rules, 1982

The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986

The Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986

Hazardous Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 1989

Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemical Rules, 1989

The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980

The Forest (Conservation) Rules, 1981

The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972

The Wildlife (Transactions and Taxidermy) Rules, 1973

The Wildlife (Stock Declaration) Central Rules, 1973

The Wildlife (Protection) Licensing (Additional Matters for Consideration) Rules,1983

The Wildlife (Protection) Rules, 1995

The Wildlife (Specified Plants - Conditions for Possession by Licensee) Rules, 1995

The Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991

The Public Liability Insurance Rules, 1991

The National Environment Tribunal Act, 1995

The National Environment Appellate Authority Act, 1997

What are the provisions in the Indian Penal Code for environmental protection?The Indian Penal Code has a chapter on offences affecting Public Health, Safety,Convenience (Chapter XIV). Sec. 268 provides that “a person is guilty of a public nuisancewho does any act or is guilty of an illegal omission which causes any common injury, dangeror annoyance to the public or to the people in general who dwell or occupy property in thevicinity, or which must necessarily cause injury, obstruction, danger, or annoyance to personswho may have occasion to use any public right.” The section further explains that a commonnuisance is not excusable on the ground that it causes some convenience or advantage. Otherconcerned provisions are: a “negligent act likely to spread infection or disease dangerous tolife” (Sec. 269 IPC.), a “malignant act likely to spread infection or disease dangerous to life”(Sec. 270 IPC.), “making atmosphere noxious to health” (Sec. 278 IPC.).

But the essential requirement of the provision to punish a man is the guilty intention of theaccused, i.e. either the act of the accused should be negligent, malignant or voluntary, whichvitiates the atmosphere. In case of public nuisance, the Penal Code provides for fines up toRs. 200/- by way of punishment (Sec. 290 IPC.) and for making the atmosphere noxious tohealth Rs. 500/- only (Sec.78 IPC.).

The punishments are too meagre to meet the objectives. With these penal provisions, it is notpossible to check environmental pollution.

DAY 6: Appropriate Technology Movement of Schumacher; later developments

Appropriate technology is an ideological movement (and its manifestations) encompassing technological choice and application that is small-scale, decentralized, labor-intensive, energy-efficient, environmentally sound, and locally autonomous. It was originally articulated as intermediate technology by the economist Dr. Ernst Friedrich "Fritz" Schumacher in his work Small is Beautiful. Both Schumacher and many modern-day proponents of appropriate technology also emphasize the technology as people-centered.

Appropriate technology has been used to address issues in a wide range of fields. Well-knownexamples of appropriate technology applications include: bike- and hand-powered water pumps (and other self-powered equipment), the universal nut sheller, self-contained solar lamps and streetlights, and passive solar building designs. Today appropriate technology is often developed using open source principles, which have led to open-source appropriate technology (OSAT) and thus many of the plans of the technology can be freely found on the Internet. OSAT has been proposed as a new model of enabling innovation for sustainable development.

Appropriate technology is most commonly discussed in its relationship to economic development and as an alternative to technology transfer of more capital-intensive technologyfrom industrialized nations to developing countries. However, appropriate technology movements can be found in both developing and developed countries. In developed countries,the appropriate technology movement grew out of the energy crisis of the 1970s and focuses mainly on environmental and sustainability issues. Today the idea is multifaceted; in some contexts, appropriate technology can be described as the simplest level of technology that canachieve the intended purpose, whereas in others, it can refer to engineering that takes adequate consideration of social and environmental ramifications. The facets are connected through robustness and sustainable living.

Despite these early examples, Dr. Ernst Friedrich "Fritz" Schumacher is credited as the founder of the appropriate technology movement. A well-known economist, Schumacher worked for the British National Coal Board for more than 20 years, where he blamed the size of the industry's operations for its uncaring response to the harm black-lung disease inflicted on the miner. However it was his work with developing countries, such as India and Burma, which helped Schumacher form the underlying principles of appropriate technology.

Schumacher first articulated the idea of "intermediate technology," now known as appropriatetechnology, in a 1962 report to the Indian Planning Commission in which he described India as long in labor and short in capital, calling for an "intermediate industrial technology, that harnessed India's labor surplus. Schumacher had been developing the idea of intermediate technology for several years prior to the Planning Commission report. In 1955, following a stint as an economic advisor to the government of Burma, he published the short paper "Economics in a Buddhist Country," his first known critique of the effects of Western economics on developing countries. In addition to Buddhism, Schumacher also credited his ideas to Gandhi.

Initially, Schumacher's ideas were rejected by both the Indian government and leading development economists. Spurred to action over concern the idea of intermediate technology would languish, Schumacher, George McRobie, Mansur Hoda and Julia Porter brought together a group of approximately 20 people to form the Intermediate Technology Development Group (ITDG) in May 1965. Later that year, a Schumacher article published in the Observer garnered significant attention and support for the group. In 1967, the group published the Tools for Progress: A Guide to Small-scale Equipment for Rural Development and sold 7,000 copies. ITDG also formed panels of experts and practitioners around specific technological needs (such as building construction, energy and water) to develop intermediatetechnologies to address those needs. At a conference hosted by the ITDG in 1968 the term "intermediate technology" was discarded in favor of the term "appropriate technology" used today. Intermediate technology had been criticized as suggesting the technology was inferior to advanced (or high) technology and not including the social and political factors included inthe concept put forth by the proponents.In 1973, Schumacher described the concept of appropriate technology to a mass audience in his influential work, Small is Beautiful: Economics as if People Mattered.

DAY 7: Technology and developing nations.

Read from https://cs.stanford.edu/people/eroberts/cs181/projects/2007-08/developing-economies/

DAY 8: Problems of Technology transfer

Read from http://www.slideshare.net/VijayKrKhurana/technology-transfer-acquisition-15896914

DAY 10: Technology assessment impact analysis

Impact of Technology:

Technology and human life cannot be separated; society has a cyclical co-dependence on technology. We use technology; depend on technology in our daily life and our needs and demands for technology keep on rising. Humans use technology to travel, to communicate, tolearn, to do business and to live in comfort. However technology has also caused us concerns.Its poor application has resulted into the pollution of the environment and it has also cause serious threat to our lives and society. This calls for proper use of technology. The biggest challenge facing people is to determine the type of future we need to have and then create relevant technologies which will simplify the way we do things.

It is impossible to explore how each new advanced technology has impacted our lives and how it will impact the future. Technology impacts the environment, people and the society as a whole. The way we use technology determines if its impacts are positive to the society or

negative. For example, (POSITIVE IMPACT) we can use corn to make ethanol and this ethanol can be used as fuel. Fuel can be used to run machines and cars which will increase onoutput of manufacturing industries at a lower cost. (NEGATIVE IMPACT) However, if we decide to shift large quantities of corn to fuel production from food production, humans will be left with no food and this will cause world hunger which even be a worse situation.

Basing on the example above, technology by its self is not harmful to the society, but the waysociety uses technology to achieve specific goals is what results into negative impacts of technology on the society. Humans need to use energy to process products in factories, to run cars , to light homes and also run technological machines like computers, but the only way we can do this without affecting the environment and society , is by shifting from exhaustibleenergy sources to renewable and inexhaustible sources like Solar / Wind energy. Below I have listed both positive and negative impacts of technology on our society:

Positive Impacts of Technology on Society:

Technology has mechanized agriculture: Technology has mechanized agriculture :Modern agricultural technology allows a small number of people to grow vastquantities of food in a short period of time with less input which results into highyields and RIO ”return on investment”. Through government subsidies, small andmedium sized farmers have managed to acquire ploughing, sowing, watering andharvesting machines. The use of technology in agriculture has also resulted into themanufacturing of genetic crops which can grow fast and they can be resistant to manypests and diseases. Also farmers have access to artificial fertilizers which add value tothe soil and boost the growth of their crops and enable them to produce high qualityyields. Farmers in dry areas have been in position to grow healthy crops, they useadvanced water pumps and sprinklers which derive water from rivers to the farms, theall process can be automated to save time. A good example is Egypt , this is a desertcountry which receives little rain , but small and big farmers have used automatedsprinklers to irrigate their farms. In Egypt, they grow a lot of rice, yet this crop needssufficient water to grow well. The water is pumped from River Nile to the rice fieldson a daily basis.

DAY 11: Human Operator in Engineering projects and industries. Problems of manmachine interaction

The following is a list of some of the most important features of having Human Machine interface.

High quality graphics for realistic representations of machinery and processes

This will give the operator and the management a very realistic view of the plant. The operator can control plant without in one central location, this could be very useful when there is a security concerns. The operator does not need to be close to the equipment to control of monitor.

Alarms (Real Time / Historical)

Viewing alarms will help the operator to locate and react faster to any malfunction of any anomalies. Some of the alarms could be of preventive type, for example to create a warning alarm on a hydraulic tank oil level before the oil level really reaches a critical point.

Historical Alarm logging is very usefull to track problems. It could be used to optimize process. Which in turn would increase productivity and reduce lost time?

Trends (Real Time / Historical)

Trends are very usefull with PID's. You can view the curve used to reach a certain set point. Study of certain values will result in optimizing your process, and it will certainly make if much more efficient.

Recipe Manager

Simple and complex recipe could be controlled with HMI. This is very useful and very effective way to execute recipes.

Simulation

Some of the high quality HMI's will be so flexible that you can simulate a plant in your office. This will help PLC program developers test their program without having a single equipment or devices. This kind of simulation is used more and more to reduce start up time.

Messaging

This is a very interesting functionality. You can message, page or fax someone when a certainevent happens. For example let’s say the oil level in the hydraulic tank has reaching a low level. Then low oil level will be triggered and it will page the person in charge to fill up the tank.

Animate equipment’s and instrument based on operator standards.

They say one picture is better than 100 words. Now this is not only a picture it is an animatedone. This will really improve the whole view of the process. Any anomalies will be detected much easier.

Reduce the cost of hardware.

An HMI can replace hundreds of Push buttons, selectors, Lights and so on. As a result less consoles and panels and definitely less cables all over the plant.

Communication

DAY 12: Impact of assembly line and automation

The assembly line was one of the key components of the Industrial Revolution. The principles of the assembly line allowed manufacturers to produce greatly increased amounts of products at lower cost and indirectly made for easier maintenance of products after their assembly. While the ideas behind assembly line manufacturing are a vital part of the way products are made and assembled today, it is also interesting to consider the disadvantages of these types of production systems.

Advantages For manufacturers, the benefits of assembly line production are enormous. An inherent part of the idea of assembly lines is that each item produced from a certain product line is as close to identical as possible. This allows quick and easy assembly throughout the process, and it also means that maintenance and replacement of worn or broken parts is a much simpler task down the road.

Prior to assembly line production, items were often made one at a time by hand by a single crafter. This meant that there were often great variations between one crafter’s work and the work of another crafter, and even among the products of a single crafter. If one part of a musket or tool were to break, it was no simple task to replace that part. Repairs and replacements had to be custom made to fit the specific item at hand.

With standardized, interchangeable parts being a key part of the assembly line process, the next generation of manufacturing did not suffer as much from those issues of difficult repairs.If part of a product breaks, it can easily be replaced with an identical part matching the item. Generally speaking, assembly line production requires each person involved to only perform a small number of simple and specific operations, meaning training requirements are not verydemanding, and nearly anybody can fill a spot on the production line in many cases. This allows companies to keep expenses low and easily replace employees who leave. The work isalso pretty easy: chain, roller, or belt conveyors move products through the process, meaning no heavy lifting or moving is generally required of workers. In fact, specialized conveyors from companies like Cambelt often play a vital role in production facilities. Finding or creating the right conveyor for the job makes the whole process possible, as you can see at www.cambelt.com.

Disadvantages The disadvantages of the assembly line style of production are the same qualities described above but looked at from another angle. While several workers using interchangeable, standardized parts makes for easy repairs and replacements, it also means each item loses that individualistic flare of unique artisanship. For some products, especially decorative or luxurious items, it can be very desirable to know that a single skilled and experienced artisan uniquely crafted the piece. This individual put a lot of heart and soul into the creation. This is the opposite to a production line, which is a bunch of disinterested peopleslapping parts together with no personal investment in the quality of the finished product.

Other disadvantages of assembly line production are based on the worker’s point of view. Because little training is generally required, wages may not be very competitive. The work itself can also be extremely repetitive and monotonous, offering little in the way of mental stimulation and creative critical thinking. The assembly line can also take away jobs from people. Many jobs preformed on an assembly line have been replaced by robots or can be skipped altogether

DAY 13: Human centered Technology

The field of humancentered technology focuses upon the needs, abilities, and limitations of the huan user as a component of humanmachine systems. It is concerned with designing systems for human use, with the specific goals of making them safer, more efficient, and more pleasurable to use. Atechnology becomes evermore complex and prevalent in our lives, it is unproductive to design systems that make it needlessly difficult for users to achieve their goals. Moreover, poor user design is not sustainable, as it contributes to waste through discarded products and technologies, and can potentially encourage human error, resulting in injuries and fatalities ‐ particularly for complex military, aerospace, transportation, industrial, and medical systems.

The study of humancentered technology is interdisciplinary, drawing from domains such as cognitive science, humanities, exercise science, psycholinguistics, and anthropology. Possible topics of research, but certainly not an exhaustive list, that pertain to this focus include

Human factors ‐ Human‐computer interaction ‐Human performance assessment and modelling ‐ Product usability and Safety ‐Transportation systems (e.g., surface transportation, aerospace systems, marine systems) ‐Cognitive engineering ‐ Displays and Controls ‐ Simulation and training ‐Virtual environments ‐ Environmental design ‐ Expert systems and Decision‐making ‐Operations engineering ‐ Educational technologies ‐ Acoustics ‐ Communications ‐Remote sensing ‐ Medical systems and Biosensors ‐ Aging and human performance

‐ Biomechanics/anthropometry/Work physiology and Ergonomics ‐Forensics/accident reconstruction

DAY 14: Ethics of Profession: What is a Profession, Importance of Ethics in profession

Regardless of profession or the field of work one belongs to, ethics is an important part of work. The success or the expected results depend on how the workers deal with the situations.Whether ethically or unethically. If they are dealt ethically, the chances are positive for growth and development.

Good Ethics is a fundamental requirement of any profession. It is integral to the success of the business as well. Ethics is a system of moral principles governing the appropriate conductof a person or a group. Maintaining good ethics is being consistent with the principles of correct moral conduct constantly.

“Good ethics is good business.”, as it not leads to run the business successfully, but it also provides many ways for growth and development by leaving a good impression about an organization in the market.

An organization strives continually to be in pursuit of its goals while benefiting the employees in building up their high competencies. In this direction, the adherence to high ethical standards of the employees can be very much contributory to the impressive achievements of business goals being turned out as planned and intended.

Ethics refers to human conduct as to make judgements between what is right and what is wrong. It could be that there are several factors that may encourage one to adopt unethical behaviour, but the right person is he who, despite facing ethical dilemmas, assesses the situations and makes differentiation between what is morally good and bad in order to follow the rules and code of professional conduct. Good ethics causes to gain confidence of superiors while

promoting integrity, which means to continue doing right things even when we are not watched.

The importance of ethics in professional life can be evidenced by a number of instances showing failure of businesses and several scandals. It may be rightly said that the situations would not have been so worsened had there been observance of ethical standards. Therefore, maintaining ethical standards is must for the prosperity of an organization as well as the

development of one’s personality. Good ethics will lead us to maintain our honest image. It will enable us to refrain from such activities that may discredit to our profession. Thus, adhesion to good ethics is to let our conscience be our guide at all times. Albert Schweitzer says, “Ethics is the activity of man directed to secure the inner perfection of his own personality.”

DAY 15: Engineering profession: Ethical issues in Engineering Practice

NSPE CODE OF ETHICS FOR ENGINEERS

PreambleEngineering is an important and learned profession. As members of this profession, engineersare expected to exhibit the highest standards of honesty and integrity. Engineering has a direct and vital impact on the quality of life for all people. Accordingly, the services provided by engineers require honesty, impartiality, fairness, and equity, and must be dedicated to the protection of the public health, safety, and welfare. Engineers must perform under a standard of professional behavior that requires adherence to the highest principles of ethical conduct.

I. Fundamental CanonsEngineers, in the fulfillment of their professional duties, shall:

1. Hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public.

2. Perform services only in areas of their competence.

3. Issue public statements only in an objective and truthful manner.

4. Act for each employer or client as faithful agents or trustees.

5. Avoid deceptive acts.

6. Conduct themselves honorably, responsibly, ethically, and lawfully so as to enhance the honor, reputation, and usefulness of the profession.

II. Rules of Practice

1. Engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public.

a. If engineers' judgment is overruled under circumstances that endanger life or property, they shall notify their employer or client and such other authority as may be appropriate.

b. Engineers shall approve only those engineering documents that are in conformity with applicable standards.

c. Engineers shall not reveal facts, data, or information without the prior consent of the client or employer except as authorized or required by law or this Code.

d. Engineers shall not permit the use of their name or associate in business ventures with any person or firm that they believe is engaged in fraudulent or dishonest enterprise.

e. Engineers shall not aid or abet the unlawful practice of engineering by a person or firm.

f. Engineers having knowledge of any alleged violation of this Code shall report thereon to appropriate professional bodies and, when relevant, also to public authorities, and cooperate with the proper authorities in furnishing such information or assistance as may be required.

2. Engineers shall perform services only in the areas of their competence.

a. Engineers shall undertake assignments only when qualified by education or experience in the specific technical fields involved.

b. Engineers shall not affix their signatures to any plans or documents dealing with subject matter in which they lack competence, nor to any plan or document not prepared under their direction and control.

c. Engineers may accept assignments and assume responsibility for coordination of an entire project and sign and seal the engineering documents for the entire project, provided that each technical segment is signed and sealed only by the qualified engineers who prepared the segment.

3. Engineers shall issue public statements only in an objective and truthful manner.

a. Engineers shall be objective and truthful in professional reports, statements, ortestimony. They shall include all relevant and pertinent information in such reports, statements, or testimony, which should bear the date indicating when it was current.

b. Engineers may express publicly technical opinions that are founded upon knowledge of the facts and competence in the subject matter.

c. Engineers shall issue no statements, criticisms, or arguments on technical matters that are inspired or paid for by interested parties, unless they have prefaced their comments by explicitly identifying the interested parties on whose behalf they are speaking, and by revealing the existence of any interest the engineers may have in the matters.

4. Engineers shall act for each employer or client as faithful agents or trustees.

a. Engineers shall disclose all known or potential conflicts of interest that could influence or appear to influence their judgment or the quality of their services.

b. Engineers shall not accept compensation, financial or otherwise, from more than one party for services on the same project, or for services pertaining to

the same project, unless the circumstances are fully disclosed and agreed to byall interested parties.

c. Engineers shall not solicit or accept financial or other valuable consideration, directly or indirectly, from outside agents in connection with the work for which they are responsible.

d. Engineers in public service as members, advisors, or employees of a governmental or quasi-governmental body or department shall not participate in decisions with respect to services solicited or provided by them or their organizations in private or public engineering practice.

e. Engineers shall not solicit or accept a contract from a governmental body on which a principal or officer of their organization serves as a member.

5. Engineers shall avoid deceptive acts.

a. Engineers shall not falsify their qualifications or permit misrepresentation of their or their associates' qualifications. They shall not misrepresent or exaggerate their responsibility in or for the subject matter of prior assignments. Brochures or other presentations incident to the solicitation of employment shall not misrepresent pertinent facts concerning employers, employees, associates, joint venturers, or past accomplishments.

b. Engineers shall not offer, give, solicit, or receive, either directly or indirectly, any contribution to influence the award of a contract by public authority, or which may be reasonably construed by the public as having the effect or intentof influencing the awarding of a contract. They shall not offer any gift or othervaluable consideration in order to secure work. They shall not pay a commission, percentage, or brokerage fee in order to secure work, except to a bona fide employee or bona fide established commercial or marketing agencies retained by them.

III. Professional Obligations

1. Engineers shall be guided in all their relations by the highest standards of honesty andintegrity.

a. Engineers shall acknowledge their errors and shall not distort or alter the facts.

b. Engineers shall advise their clients or employers when they believe a project will not be successful.

c. Engineers shall not accept outside employment to the detriment of their regular work or interest. Before accepting any outside engineering employment, they will notify their employers.

d. Engineers shall not attempt to attract an engineer from another employer by false or misleading pretenses.

e. Engineers shall not promote their own interest at the expense of the dignity and integrity of the profession.

2. Engineers shall at all times strive to serve the public interest.

a. Engineers are encouraged to participate in civic affairs; career guidance for youths; and work for the advancement of the safety, health, and well-being of their community.

b. Engineers shall not complete, sign, or seal plans and/or specifications that are not in conformity with applicable engineering standards. If the client or employer insists on such unprofessional conduct, they shall notify the proper authorities and withdraw from further service on the project.

c. Engineers are encouraged to extend public knowledge and appreciation of engineering and its achievements.

d. Engineers are encouraged to adhere to the principles of sustainable development1 in order to protect the environment for future generations.

3. Engineers shall avoid all conduct or practice that deceives the public.

a. Engineers shall avoid the use of statements containing a material misrepresentation of fact or omitting a material fact.

b. Consistent with the foregoing, engineers may advertise for recruitment of personnel.

c. Consistent with the foregoing, engineers may prepare articles for the lay or technical press, but such articles shall not imply credit to the author for work performed by others.

4. Engineers shall not disclose, without consent, confidential information concerning thebusiness affairs or technical processes of any present or former client or employer, or public body on which they serve.

a. Engineers shall not, without the consent of all interested parties, promote or arrange for new employment or practice in connection with a specific project for which the engineer has gained particular and specialized knowledge.

b. Engineers shall not, without the consent of all interested parties, participate in or represent an adversary interest in connection with a specific project or proceeding in which the engineer has gained particular specialized knowledge on behalf of a former client or employer.

5. Engineers shall not be influenced in their professional duties by conflicting interests.

a. Engineers shall not accept financial or other considerations, including free engineering designs, from material or equipment suppliers for specifying their product.

b. Engineers shall not accept commissions or allowances, directly or indirectly, from contractors or other parties dealing with clients or employers of the engineer in connection with work for which the engineer is responsible.

6. Engineers shall not attempt to obtain employment or advancement or professional engagements by untruthfully criticizing other engineers, or by other improper or questionable methods.

a. Engineers shall not request, propose, or accept a commission on a contingent basis under circumstances in which their judgment may be compromised.

b. Engineers in salaried positions shall accept part-time engineering work only tothe extent consistent with policies of the employer and in accordance with ethical considerations.

c. Engineers shall not, without consent, use equipment, supplies, laboratory, or office facilities of an employer to carry on outside private practice.

7. Engineers shall not attempt to injure, maliciously or falsely, directly or indirectly, the professional reputation, prospects, practice, or employment of other engineers. Engineers who believe others are guilty of unethical or illegal practice shall present such information to the proper authority for action.

a. Engineers in private practice shall not review the work of another engineer for the same client, except with the knowledge of such engineer, or unless the connection of such engineer with the work has been terminated.

b. Engineers in governmental, industrial, or educational employ are entitled to review and evaluate the work of other engineers when so required by their employment duties.

c. Engineers in sales or industrial employ are entitled to make engineering comparisons of represented products with products of other suppliers.

8. Engineers shall accept personal responsibility for their professional activities, provided, however, that engineers may seek indemnification for services arising out oftheir practice for other than gross negligence, where the engineer's interests cannot otherwise be protected.

a. Engineers shall conform with state registration laws in the practice of engineering.

b. Engineers shall not use association with a nonengineer, a corporation, or partnership as a "cloak" for unethical acts.

9. Engineers shall give credit for engineering work to those to whom credit is due, and will recognize the proprietary interests of others.

a. Engineers shall, whenever possible, name the person or persons who may be individually responsible for designs, inventions, writings, or other accomplishments.

b. Engineers using designs supplied by a client recognize that the designs remain the property of the client and may not be duplicated by the engineer for others without express permission.

c. Engineers, before undertaking work for others in connection with which the engineer may make improvements, plans, designs, inventions, or other recordsthat may justify copyrights or patents, should enter into a positive agreement regarding ownership.

d. Engineers' designs, data, records, and notes referring exclusively to an employer's work are the employer's property. The employer should indemnify the engineer for use of the information for any purpose other than the original purpose.

e. Engineers shall continue their professional development throughout their careers and should keep current in their specialty fields by engaging in professional practice, participating in continuing education courses, reading in the technical literature, and attending professional meetings and seminars.

Footnote 1 "Sustainable development" is the challenge of meeting human needs for natural resources, industrial products, energy, food, transportation, shelter, and effective waste management while conserving and protecting environmental quality and the natural resource base essential for future development.

As Revised July 2007

By order of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, former Section 11(c) of the NSPE Code of Ethics prohibiting competitive bidding, and all policy statements, opinions, rulings or other guidelines interpreting its scope, have been rescinded as unlawfullyinterfering with the legal right of engineers, protected under the antitrust laws, to provide price information to prospective clients; accordingly, nothing contained in the NSPE Code of Ethics, policy statements, opinions, rulings or other guidelines prohibits the submission of price quotations or competitive bids for engineering services at any time or in any amount.

Statement by NSPE Executive Committee

In order to correct misunderstandings which have been indicated in some instances since the issuance of the Supreme Court decision and the entry of the Final Judgment, it is noted that inits decision of April 25, 1978, the Supreme Court of the United States declared: "The Sherman Act does not require competitive bidding."It is further noted that as made clear in the Supreme Court decision:

1. Engineers and firms may individually refuse to bid for engineering services.

2. Clients are not required to seek bids for engineering services.

3. Federal, state, and local laws governing procedures to procure engineering services are not affected, and remain in full force and effect.

4. State societies and local chapters are free to actively and aggressively seek legislation for professional selection and negotiation procedures by public agencies.

5. State registration board rules of professional conduct, including rules prohibiting competitive bidding for engineering services, are not affected and remain in full force and effect. State registration boards with authority to adopt rules of professional conduct may adopt rules governing procedures to obtain engineering services.

6. As noted by the Supreme Court, "nothing in the judgment prevents NSPE and its members from attempting to influence governmental action . . ."

NOTE: In regard to the question of application of the Code to corporations vis-à-vis real persons, business form or type should not negate nor influence conformance of individuals to the Code. The Code deals with professional services, which services must be performed by real persons. Real persons in turn establish and implement policies within business structures.The Code is clearly written to apply to the Engineer, and it is incumbent on members of NSPE to endeavor to live up to its provisions. This applies to all pertinent sections of the Code.

DAY 16: Whistle Blowing, Types, case studies

Read from http://www.slideshare.net/dasatmadeep31/whistle-blowing-33938027

DAY 17: Ethical Dilemma

An ethical dilemma is a complex situation that often involves an apparent mental conflictbetween moral imperatives, in which to obey one would result in transgressing another.Sometimes called ethical paradoxes in moral philosophy, ethical dilemmas are often invokedin an attempt to refute an ethical system or moral code, or to improve it so as to resolve theparadox.

These arguments can be refuted in various ways, for example by showing that the claimedethical dilemma is only apparent and does not really exist (thus is not a paradox logically), orthat the solution to the ethical dilemma involves choosing the greater good and lesser evil (asdiscussed in value theory), or that the whole framing of the problem omits creativealternatives (such as peace making), or (more recently) that situational ethics or situatedethics must apply because the case cannot be removed from context and still be understood.See also case-based reasoning on this process. An alternative to situational ethics is gradedabsolutism.

Perhaps the most commonly cited ethical conflict is that between an imperative or injunctionnot to steal and one to care for a family that you cannot afford to feed without stolen money.Debates on this often revolve around the availability of alternate means of income or supportsuch as a social safety net, charity, etc. The debate is in its starkest form when framed asstealing food. Under an ethical system in which stealing is always wrong and letting one'sfamily die from starvation is always wrong, a person in such a situation would be forced tocommit one wrong to avoid committing another, and be in constant conflict with those whoseview of the acts varied.

However, there are no legitimate ethical systems in which stealing is more wrong than lettingone's family die. Ethical systems do in fact allow for, and sometimes outline, trade-offs orpriorities in decisions. Some have suggested that international law requires this kind ofmechanism to resolve whether World Trade Organization (WTO) or Kyoto Protocol takesprecedence in deciding whether a WTO notification is valid. That is, whether nations may usetrade mechanisms to complain about climate change measures.

As there are few economies that can operate smoothly in a chaotic climate, the dilemmawould seem to be easy to resolve, but since fallacious justifications for restricting trade areeasily imagined, just as fallacious justifications for theft are easily imagined at the familylevel, the seemingly obvious resolution becomes clouded by the suspicion of an illegitimatemotive. Resolving ethical dilemmas is rarely simple or clearcut and very often involvesrevisiting similar dilemmas that recur within societies:

According to some philosophers and sociologists, e.g. Karl Marx, it is the different lifeexperience of people and the different exposure of them and their families in these roles (therich constantly robbing the poor, the poor in a position of constant begging andsubordination) that creates social class differences. In other words, ethical dilemmas canbecome political and economic factions that engage in long term recurring struggles. Seeconflict theory and left-wing politics versus right-wing politics.

Design of a voting system, other electoral reform, a criminal justice system, or other high-stakes adversarial process for dispute resolution will almost always reflect the deep persistentstruggles involved. However, no amount of good intent and hard work can undo a bad rolestructure:

Roles within structures

Where a structural conflict is involved, dilemmas will very often recur. A trivial example isworking with a bad operating system whose error messages do not match the problems theuser perceives. Each such error presents the user with a dilemma: reboot the machine andcontinue working at one's employment or spend time trying to reproduce the problem for thebenefit of the developer of the operating system.

So role structure sabotages feedback and results in sub-optimal results since provision hasbeen made to actually reward people for reporting these errors and problems.

See total quality management for more on addressing this type of failure and governance onhow many ethical and structural conflicts can be resolved with appropriate supervisorymechanisms.

DAY 18: Conflicts between business demands and professional ideals

A conflict of interest (COI) is a situation in which a person or organization is involved in multiple interests, financial or otherwise, one of which could possibly corrupt the motivation or decision-making of that individual or organization.

The presence of a conflict of interest is independent of the occurrence of impropriety. Therefore, a conflict of interest can be discovered and voluntarily defused before any corruption occurs. A conflict of interest exists if the circumstances are reasonably believed (on the basis of past experience and objective evidence) to create a risk that a decision may beunduly influenced by other, secondary interests, and not on whether a particular individual is actually influenced by a secondary interest.

A widely used definition is: "A conflict of interest is a set of circumstances that creates a risk that professional judgement or actions regarding a primary interest will be unduly influenced by a secondary interest."Primary interest refers to the principal goals of the profession or activity, such as the protection of clients, the health of patients, the integrity of research, and the duties of public office. Secondary interest includes personal benefit and is not limited to only financial gain but also such motives as the desire for professional advancement, or the wish to do favours for family and friends. These secondary interests are not treated as wrong in and of them, but become objectionable when they are believed to have greater weight than the primary interests. Conflict of interest rules in the public sphere mainly focus on financial relationships since they are relatively more objective, fungible, and quantifiable, and usually involve the political, legal, and medical fields.