TOPIC: Ethics and the ASCE Report Card for Americas Infrastructure - Essay Example

Ethics and the ASCE Report Card for America’s Infrastructure Ethical behavior is considered a sensitive matter in engineering. While efforts to cub unethical behavior seems to bear fruits, there are evident challenges that come along with it.Ethical implementations of ASCE preparing the report cardASCE as an international body though highly exposed to political and situational influence. Therefore, in preparing the report cards, it has to use an independent group that cannot succumb to political pressure.

However, if ASCE were to come up with the report card, literally it had to reflect the economic situations. A low rating is always given when the situation reflects an increase in job opportunities and vice versa. An independent body can save the local population by giving the real evaluation analysis. As seen, when there are many job positions, it indicates that construction costs skyrocket and thus stimulate economic growth, which in turn however lead to an increase in tax. On the contrary, little job positions directly means there is widespread unemployment.

Effects of ASCE’s report card on public perception of civil engineeringWith an active role in preparing the report cards, ASCE cannot alter public perception. However, in cases where an independent body is used to prepare the reports without ASCE’s involvement, the public will always be eager to know the masterminds behind the standards. Should the independent body fall for a corruption deal that is if ASCE does not include its committee to oversee the activities, the truth can be overshadowed the real situations to satisfy interests of a particular group.

Questions are raised concerning the ability of engineers to work independently and if there must be a committee to oversee their activities.Responsibility of ASCE regarding report card accuracyASCE is responsible for authorizing federal government to allocate funds for the nation’s surface transportation. Being a voice that represents more than 130,000 engineers, it is responsible to make sure that the report cards address and touch on all the issues as expressed by engineers. For accuracy and completeness of the reports, ASCE must consider measures like using independent bodies that cannot be swayed by political, movement groups who can bribe and alter results.

It must also include its committee in the independent group’s committee to make sure everything is done in order.Potential disadvantages of ASCE preparing the Report cardIn using report cards, ASCE relies on calculations using a five year infrastructure investment plan. This is disadvantageous since it does not indicate whether the five year investment is meant to scale existing assets to a level where repairs can be made or a period in which it can expand operations. In addition, there is a likelihood of ASCE not mentioning all investments and the general benefits attached to them.

ASCE can rectify or minimize these disadvantages through using effective investment schedules that clearly state and differentiate asset urgency for repair or upgrade. To prevent poor perception from the public, it should consider giving detailed information about every investment and activities. This could in one way or another encourage investors and interested donors to help where possible.An alternative way to educate the public and policy makers on the state of infrastructure is by the use of a systems approach.

In this approach, it is easy to inform the public about future events, consequences attached to them and the expected life cycle. This prepares them into following events from the very first step and can help with corrections where necessary. Within this, it can be easy to incorporate change management systems to escape future unknowns.The ASCE’s Code of Ethics does not address the issue of report cards. This means a number of changes have to take place to make report cards effective. It should be made clear that if a report card has to e used, then it must provide all the events that the association deems useful to the public.

This means it has to give detailed information about the projects or events it has decided to cover. Since it is a huge association, it can subdivide states so that independent commissions give reports of all states on its behalf.ConclusionReport cards are good only when they give a true reflection. Any wrong information can turn away potential investors, federal government’s support and public participation. It has been identified that through report cards, political influence, bribes and information alteration is common so as to hide the reality from the blind public.

Through the use of independent bodies, this can be solved.Works cited“Report Card for America’s Infrastructure”. American Society of Civil Engineers. 2009. Web. 23 Nov. 2014.“Guiding Principles for the Nation’s Critical Infrastructure”. American Society of Civil Engineers. 2009. Print.“Code of Ethics,” American Society of Civil Engineers. 23 July 2006. Web. 23 Nov. 2014