Case 1: George and the Jet (Honesty)


Case 5: Dinner (Professionalism & Discrimination)



Download 42.5 Kb.
Page3/3
Date19.12.2022
Size42.5 Kb.
#60166
1   2   3
ethics-case-studies
390 Ch14
Case 5: Dinner (Professionalism & Discrimination)
Jack Strong is seated between Tom Evans and Judy Hanson at a dinner meeting of a local industrial engineering society. Jack and Judy have an extended discussion of a variety of concerns, some of which are related to their common engineering interests. At the conclusion of the dinner, Jack turns to Tom, smiles and says, "I'm sorry not to have talked with you more tonight, but she's better looking than you."

As a younger engineer, Judy is anxious to be recognized first and foremost as a good engineer. She is well aware of the stereotypical view that women are not as well suited for engineering as men. She did not often encounter open manifestations of this attitude while in college. More than 20% of her engineering classmates were women, the faculty were supportive, the male students did not make her feel she had chosen the wrong profession, and she graduated near the top of her class. However, matters quickly changed on her first job. She found that she was the only woman engineer in her division. Now, even after a year on the job, it seems she has to struggle to get others to take her ideas seriously. So, she enjoyed "talking shop" with Jack at the dinner. But she was stunned by his remark to Tom, however innocently it may have been intended. Suddenly she saw the conversation in a very different light. Once again she sensed that she was not being taken seriously as an engineer.

Was Jack's remark appropriate? How should Judy respond? How should Tom?

(Adapted from Pritchard, "Teaching Engineering Ethics", 1992)





Download 42.5 Kb.

Share with your friends:
1   2   3




The database is protected by copyright ©ua.originaldll.com 2024
send message

    Main page