Ethics competency

The call for the ethics competency in mechanical engineering is present. Ethics is a value-laden competency, dependent on high levels of self-actualization and praxis. Ethics is situated in the world as a thinking and doing process involving conflicts of interests, dissonance or dysfunction. 

However, ethics competency encumbers more than knowledge of what and how ethics are, it also includes valuing and using ethical parameters in practical situations. The disposition of ethics is evident when enacted in values based on the tenets of moral and legal consequence, social justice, multicultural understandings, diversity appreciation, equity and fairness. Ethical decisions reinforce the desire to be accountable and transparent to benefit the common good. 

There is also a role for the Academy to play in the ethical development of engineers by overfly teaching the ethics competency and in modeling 

And while there are clearly delineated professional codes for engineers, without the ethics competency, these codes do collide with climate and culture in the workplace as practice. Early career engineers are often challenged as to what to do next, how to do it, and why to follow these canons. However, the benefits in utilizing the ethics competency as a part of the DNA of mechanical engineering education can better equip practitioners for such encounters. 

Ethics competency creates boundaries for decision making at all levels and motivates perspectives for interacting with individuals and organizations. In other words, ethical engineering practice is expressed in 

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Figure 2-2 Mechanical engineering education stakeholders needs for systems, sustainability and ethics competency.

Students Need for Better Ethics Competency. One gap analysis theme accumulates around the issues of the legal and ethical competencies of mechanical engineering education. Students reported the need for more training in reliability (40%), safety (37%), leadership (32%), conflict resolutions (26%), business ethics (24%), and legal information (22%). 

Employers Need for Ethics Competency, The demand for more ethics competency as indicated by the response for higher leadership ability (with different degrees) was cited by a total of 84% of employer respondents. This is also connected to need for better communication and practical experience at about 50% of respondents. 

Sustainability, systems and ethics competency development in mechanical engineering... 

Phase of learning outcomes Sustainability competence-students demonstrate Systems competence-students demonstrate Ethics competence-students demonstrate ... 

Dispositions is able to develop original ethical solutions with a lack of ethical competence is present and demonstrates a strong commitment to an active role in ethics in the world, and... 

Applications exemplifies mastery of ethical competence through modeling the competency, teaching others and demonstrating ethical leadership in society. 

Based on the argument to deliver the double helix DNA of mechanical engineering education, both content and competency mastery, the previous chapter presented an exploratory rubric of student outcomes for systems, sustainability and ethics competency. These three competencies are the dorsal spine of the value stream that adds to the delivery of the mechanical engineering education. This process of mechanical engineering education should enrich the four-pronged client/supplier value streams of students, employers, society and faculty. Figure 4-3 below depicts a mental model as to how these outcomes can be pulled by Lean Engineering Education. 

Figure 4-3 Systems, sustainability and ethics competency provided by Lean Engineering Education ...

Figure 4-6 Framework of Lean Engineering Education and ethics competency.

The lack of opportunity to develop systems, sustainability and ethics competency within the educational experience creates difficulties for early career engineers. These mechanical engineers may find it difficult to address challenges encountered because they do not possess the competencies required by workplace. This chapter provides alternative examples to conventional methods, designed to benefit students, employers, society and faculty. Moreover, it explores the future of mechanical engineering practice in the context of job opportunities, hiring... 

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