Identifying and Ranking the Components of Engineering Ethics with a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Approach

Abstract

Engineering ethics deals with moral issues and decisions confronting individuals and organizations engaged in engineering, and it is, therefore, the ability and the responsibility of all engineers to evaluate their decisions based on the general well-being of a society. Aim of the present study was to identify and rank the components of engineering ethics. This study is categorized as applied research based on the aims, and descriptive research in terms of the methods and nature of the study. To collect the data, questionnaires were prepared based on multi-attribute decision-making methods and completed by five managers of technical and engineering service provider organizations in Bushehr; the managers had at least five years of management experience and presence in this profession. The data were analyzed by SuperDecisions software. The results of this study show the components of accountability, adherence to rules and regulations, and adherence to public welfare and environment are the most important components of engineering ethics. In general, it can be concluded that organizational components have had a far more important role than professional and individual ethics components.

Keywords

• engineering ethics multi-attribute superdecisions accountability rules