In this course, the ethical issue of where to draw the line between what is a gift and what is a bribe is treated.
In this course, the ethical issue of where to draw the line between what is a gift and what is a bribe is treated. This issue can be difficult, and it is not surprising that while codes of ethics of professional engineering societies almost always condemn bribery, they provide little or no help in sorting out when a gift constitutes a bribe. Many large corporations publish guidance on when gift-giving is appropriate for their employees, but the guidance typically covers only a few cases and is couched in generalities. In contrast, the federal government has formulated detailed rules covering gifts given to executive-branch employees in many situations.
The rules are published in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) and are illustrated through many examples. Even though the examples are intended for government employees (many of whom are engineers), they also apply to private-sector engineers in similar situations. The purpose of this course is to present selected CFR examples that furnish guidance on the ethics of gift-giving.
Intended Audience: This course is intended as an ethics course for any discipline of engineering, seeking guidance on distinguishing between ethical gift-giving and bribery.
Publication Source: Original Courseware by Mark Rossow, PhD, PE (retired)
Civil Engneering faculty member for 27 years
Dr. Rossow is a graduate of the University of Michigan with B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Illinois. He taught civil engineering for over 35 years, including six years at Washington University in St. Louis and 29 years at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, where he was the Chair of the Civil Engineering Department for ten years. His areas of expertise are in civil engineering and mechanics. He has consulted for various organizations, including government agencies and an international offshore drilling company. He has published numerous technical journal articles and technical reports for a variety of governmental agencies and private sector organizations. Mark P. Rossow, PE, PhD Licensed Professional Engineer in State of Illinois License No. 062.040560 Dr. Rossow is a graduate of the University of Michigan with B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees. He taught civil engineering for over 35 years, including six years at Washington University in St. Louis and 29 years at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, where he was the Chair of the Civil Engineering Department for ten years. His areas of expertise are in civil engineering and mechanics. He has consulted for various organizations, including government agencies and an international offshore drilling company. He has published many journal articles and technical reports.
