NPTEL Online Certification Courses

Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur

Course Name: Ethics in Engineering Practice

Assignment - Week 2
TYPE OF QUESTION: MCQ/MSQ

Number of questions: 10 Total marks: 10 X 1 = 10

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Instructions: Please read the excerpt given below and use the same as the basis to
answer Questions 1 to 5 given in the Assignment.

Amit , just after completing his degree course in Civil Engineering, had applied and had
been hired by a developer Mr. Mukherjee in the early stages of a project to perform site
and engineering studies in connection with a major development project. After 2 years
of experience, Amit got selected in Public Works Department to oversee the numerous
sub-contractors for preliminary design work for the proposed widening of eight miles of
an interstate highway. When the Public Works Department had called for the bids of the
sub-contractors, Mr. Mukherjee, Amit’s previous employer requested him to guide him
for the tender proposal of interstate highway project. Mr. Mukherjee also informed Amit
that he could ask for help from another engineer from the same department where Amit
is employed, but he wanted Amit to help him as he had already observed the Amit’s
extensive analysing ability from the very early phase of the project. Though Amit was
not the authority responsible for selecting the bids but he definitely had a sound
understanding of the intricacies involved in tender. After Mr. Mukherjee’s unjustified
demand, Amit became very anxious about his future in the government job in Public
Works Department as his application form portrayed his earlier employer name as Mr.
Mukherjee.

QUESTION 1:

If Amit agreed to help Mr. Mukherjee for the tender proposal, it would be a case of
a) Right to Free work
b) Conflict of interest
c) Whistle blowing
d) None of the above
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Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur

Correct Answer: b
Conflict of interest

Detailed Answer: A situation of conflict of interest arises when an interest (helping

Mr. Mukherjee on tender proposal), if pursued, could keep a professional like Amit from
meeting one of his obligations like keeping organization confidentiality intact.

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QUESTION 2:

Why did Amit become anxious about his future in the government job in Public Works
Department?
a) Authority might fire him for whistle blowing
b) As the authority might suspect him of breaching of confidentiality
c) As a Government organization PWD had stringent rules as non disclosure
agreement
d) None of the above

Correct Answer: b
As the authority might suspect him of breaching of confidentiality

Detailed Answer: If Company sees any unusual similarity with Mr. Mukherjee’s bids
and their expectations, they might suspect Amit as Amit’s application form portrayed
his earlier employer name as Mr. Mukherjee.
______________________________________________________________________________
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Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur

QUESTION 3:

If another engineer from Amit’s department agreed to help Mr. Mukherjee in the tender
quotation, it would be a case of-
a) Right to Free work
b) Breaching confidentiality of PWD
c) Whistle blowing
d) None of the above

Correct Answer: b
Breaching confidentiality of PWD

Detailed Answer: As per the clause of confidentiality an engineer is barred from

revealing any trade secret. Confidentiality falls under the professional responsibility of
engineer

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QUESTION 4:

Which statement is not true for competitive bidding?

a) Price is not the most determining factor as it could not undermine engineer’s duty
to safety and welfare of people
b) Engineers are generally restricted from competitive bidding
c) It is a process by which a contracting firm selects from amongst the competing
vendors
d) None of the above

Correct Answer: a
Price is not the most determining factor as it could not undermine engineer’s duty to
safety and welfare of people
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Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur

Detailed Answer: Price is the most important determining factor for contracts which
would lead to engineers cutting corners on design work and could ultimately undermine
engineers’ duty to protect the safety and welfare of the public.

___________________________________________________________________________

QUESTION 5:

What should be Amit’s next course of acion-

a) Follow PWD’s norms regarding selection of bids and maintains confidentiality
b) Consider his relationship with Mr. Mukherjee, and help him as he is not directly
involved in selecting bids
c) He should not discuss the matter with the selection committee
d) He needs to blow the whistle though he does not know the name of another
engineer involved with Mr. Mukherjee and does not have any proof against them.

Correct Answer: a
Follow PWD’s norms regarding selection of bids and maintains confidentiality
Detailed Answer: To avoid conflict of interest, engineer’s are required to follow the
guidance of company policy
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Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur

Instructions: For attempting Questions 6 to 10, use the understanding developed

from slides shared in Week 2.

QUESTION 6:

Sahana Chowdhury, Senior project manager while collaborating for a project with Zed
Constructions Ltd. on behalf of Xian Constructions and Mergers Ltd. was strictly asked
to legally sign an agreement that restricted her from sharing project design with anyone.
The agreement which she signed is technically referred to as:

a) No-sharing agreement
b) Non-disclosure agreement
c) NS Clause
d) NC Clause

Correct Answer: b
Non-disclosure agreement

Detailed Answer: Please refer week 2, slide no 8.

Non-discloure is a form of agreement that restricts employees from sharing confidential
information (like project design here) with others. Thought what must be kept
confidential is purely decided by the employer.

QUESTION 7:

Mr Dhiman Sen who was working on a project aimed at designing cars for his client
Zenco Suzuki Ltd had designed the unique design for a car which had many advantages
in comparison to the existing models in the market. Its unique selling proposition was
its design which made it stand out, making it spacious from inside yet compact from
outside, attractive as well as fuel-efficient because of the new technology used. Mr
Dhiman Sen, being the head engineer had all the rights to use the design for his personal
use as the design belonged to him, not the client. Do you agree?

a) Yes, I agree as the design belonged to Mr Sarkar only

b) Yes, I agree as the design belonged to both Mr Sarkar and Zenco
c) No, I don’t agree as the design belonged to Zenco only
d) None of the above
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Correct Answer: c
No, I don’t agree as the design belonged to Zenco only

Detailed Answer: Designs, notes or anything that a enginner works on as an

employee or as a part of project on behalf of his/ her organization on any role are an
Employer’s property which is Zenco here, hence, Mr. Sen cannot use them personally.

QUESTION 8:

Out of the three statements (S1 to S3) given below, identify the erroneous statement or
statements:

S1: A bribe is a substantial amount of money or goods offered beyond a stated business
contract with the aim of winning an advantage in gaining or keeping the contract, and
where the advantage is illegal or otherwise unethical.

S2: Gifts amount to bribes even if they are small gratuities offered in the normal conduct
of business.
S3: Bribes are illegal or immoral because they are substantial enough to
threaten fairness in competitive situations.

a) Both S1 and S2 are erroneous

b) Only S3 is erroneous

c) Only S2 is erroneous

d) All the statements given above are erroneous

Correct Answer: c
Only S2 is erroneous

Detailed Answer: Please refer week 2, slide no 37.

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QUESTION 9:

Most of the Corporation does not support whistle blowing, because

a) It may substantially harm the image of the organization
b) It can lead to distrust, disharmony and an inability of the employees to work
together
c) Both of the above
d) None of the above

Correct Answer: c
Both of the above

Detailed Answer: Please refer week 2 ,slide 18 & 16

QUESTION 10:

At the entry of office of XYZ Corporation Ltd., there was a huge signboard which
indicated “one’s sex, race, skin colour, age, or political or religious outlook should not at
all affect how they are perceived at work”, this captures the essence of:

a) Right to Free work

b) Right to Equal Opportunity at work
c) Rights ethics
d) None of the above

Correct Answer: b
Right to Equal Opportunity at work

Detailed Answer: Please refer week 2, slide no 55.

Right to Equal Opportunity: Nondiscrimination implies that one’s sex, race, skin color,
age, or political or religious outlook should not at all affect how they are perceived at
work. Human rights to fair and decent treatment at the workplace and in job training
are important.