Response to case study scenario 1

As an engineer, the most fundamental reason why I will not ignore the problem is because the potential negative aftermath from the faulty products is far greater than the financial benefits. I will take my concerns to the board of directors to make them aware of the situation. I will set up a meeting where I will have the opportunity to explain the possible consequences.

If this is unsuccessful then I will inform a professional body of the mismanagement with the addition of concrete evidence. This will include the safety report and a record of the communications with my managers. My actions could affect my position within the company; however I believe that I am morally obliged to act on behalf of the greater good. This is also described in the ACM Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct: “If one's superiors do not act to curtail or mitigate such dangers, it may be necessary to ‘blow the whistle’ to help correct the problem or reduce the risk”.

Ignoring the problem is against my responsibilities as an engineer and I consider it unethical. If the problematic USB drives caused a fire, it could lead to loss of life, the company facing legal action and a media out-burst. The on-going fires in Australia are an example of what happens when such a hazard is ignored. Therefore this safety issue should not be risked and action to remedy the situation should not be questioned. This is also described in the IEEE Code of Ethics: “Engineers are expected to exhibit the highest standards of honesty and integrity, where protection of the public health, safety and welfare is top priority".

Sony’s battery recall in 2006 was a fitting example of a technical fault that was discovered in certain batteries, which according to Sony, “lead to cell overheating and potentially flames”. Due to alarming reports of injuries, 10 million batteries were recalled. Sony was being sued by individual users as well as being in a tense situation with its partners. The whole incident affected Sony’s brand image as a “manufacturer of high quality consumer electronic products”. Financially, Sony faced losses of around £350million. However one can say that honesty shown by Sony during the recall has restored some public confidence.

Whilst we are in the midst of a global financial crisis it is understandable that the manager is under pressure to save money, however, this resulted in a flawed decision. Compared to Sony’s previous experience, the company is fortunate enough to have discovered the problem very early on. There is a 1.5% failure rate which is why the company must foresee that a recall is its only option. Therefore the company should stop the production of this item and postpone any further deliveries.

In the past I was involved in a group programming project where an individual was performing unsatisfactorily. The problem was ignored as all the members were busy with their individual objectives and we trusted that the person would uphold the best interests of the group. I believe that this judgment had a negative impact on the outcome, comparable to this scenario where the supervisor has made a decision without virtue.