Innovation for Sustainability - Essay Example

INNOVATION FOR SUSTAINABILITY Name: Institute: Innovation for Sustainability Introduction Machines have facilitated lots of ostensibly impractical ideas and have enabled scores of challenging undertakings. Mechanical engineering remains to be one of the most conventional and oldest engineering sciences attributed by a firm need to think in a different way and solve the contemporary issues in the modern society. Contemporary engineering is a recipe of innovative, determined, and resourceful development of product, a broad scope of computer-aided design technologies, in addition to production techniques that are techno-economically resourceful (Pearce, Albritton, Grant, Steed, & Zelenika, 2012). Innovation is at the moment extensively acknowledged as the key driver of industrial development and the main reason for environmental as well as social disruption. From a organisation’s point of view, innovation may fundamentally be the basis of sustained competitive advantage in addition to a substantial source of failure, competitive interference and risk. For instance, research and development projects can be hard to predict, and even if they are successful, unexpected or unmanageable outside factors time and again establish whether the innovation will achieve global recognition (Schubert & Simar, 2011). In this regard, the report seeks to critically explore the origins of the innovation, its impact on the society, including any environmental impacts and/or other ethical issues created and how these have been managed. Origins of Innovation The origins of mechanical engineering as an innovation dates back to the craftsmen along with architects of the earliest tools together with crucial machineries power-driven by animal or human effort, wind or water power, or both together. However, as a field of engineering, mechanical engineering did not surface until the demand for the steam engine in the wake of Industrial Revolution. The Institute of Mechanical Engineers was the first formed mechanical engineers’ professional society in 1847, in the UK. Ever since, developments in mechanical engineering field have resulted to many breakthroughs like invention of the internal combustion engine, which led to the invention of small aircrafts and would as well result to the development robotics, air conditioning, and automobiles (Schubert & Simar, 2011). Impact to society Mechanical engineering has positively impacted the society, given that engineers in this field develop valuable products for the society. They design as well as produce the whole lot from jet engines to medical devices, and they as well produce smart products. Presently, mechanical engineers have achieved a lot as compares to the industries conventionally allied with this innovation field, like power generation as well as transportation. Additionally, mechanical engineers are producing novel, imperative technologies that positively impact all facets of modern society. By acknowledging that the products environmental impact that society use has turn out to be a vital design concern; modern mechanical engineers have made this an imperative spotlight. What’s more, mechanical engineering concentrate on sustainable design that focuses on world’s sustainable standards so as to promote environmental sustainability as well as assist societies gain knowledge of how to meet the demands for water, food, energy as well as other fundamental needs devoid of weakening the world's valuable resources. Basically, humans have at all times aspired to enhance their living standards, and now, mechanical engineering concentrate much on inventing machines that will, make people healthier in terms of diagnosing diseases, more relaxed, more affluent, and secure in their day after day experiences and lives. Mechanical engineers contribute considerably to the creation of wealth across the globe, and thanks to them scores of in the society enjoy improved healthcare, good life quality and increased life expectancy (Schubert & Simar 2011). Thanks to mechanical engineers, people can travel to any corner of the world for business or holidays, people can feed well, and also have better housed, in addition to living in a secure environment. In the third world countries, mechanical engineers have positively impacted the society by bringing reliable and safe sources of water to the society and have as well designed devices to stop avoidable infant mortality. Apart from that, satellites created by engineers in developed countries can provide pre-warnings of possible natural catastrophes and, for instance the Haiti earthquake or destructive tsunami that occurred in Japan, the satellites programmed in haste to offer vital data concerning the areas that are worst affected; thus, indisputably assisting rescuers to save lives. Environmental Impact The first endeavors of mechanical engineers were bound for regulating the human surroundings by irrigating and draining land as well as by aerating mines. Refrigeration together with air conditioning is a case in point of the application of contemporary mechanical devices to manage the environment. Scores of the mechanical engineering products, alongside technological advancements in other engineering fields, lead to noise, water, and air the pollution as well as the negligence of scenery and land (Pearce et al., 2012). The production rate, both of power as well as goods, is increasing so fast that restoration through natural forces can no more keep pace. In this regard, a strategy that puts together the goals of sustainable development as well as innovation is required. Plainly, achieving these goals needs a company to heavily invest in innovation, since through innovation a company can improve both environmental as well as fiscal performance. A number of observers’ stress that sustainable development can produce a round of innovative destruction, providing opportunities for fresh entrants as well as possible threats for existing businesses. Others scholars such as Pearce et al. (2012) have recommended radical innovative technologies, processes, products, as well as environmental innovations to transform the current unsustainable patterns in mechanical engineering companies. Based on the argument, Schubert and Simar (2011) posits that incremental innovation that enhances competency is not enough to meet pressures of sustainable development. Rather, radical innovation that destroys competency is required, and it will possibly generate novel capabilities that will eventually challenge present business practices. Ethics required by Professionals There are a number of setbacks allied to ethical issues; social responsibility, professional responsibility, quality as a moral aspect, , privacy, intellectual property rights, confidentiality, impacts on society, safety, dependability and security, together with professional capability (Van den Hoven, Lokhorst, & Ven de Poel, 2012). Ethical issues with regard to engineering are normally extremely costly and to a degree dangerous; thus, the mechanical engineers’ ethical responsibility together with technicians are a major concern these days. Undoubtedly, engineers are ethical agents rooted in the fact that they are free entities excising a particular level of freedom. For that reason, ethics can be considered a set of boundaries that controls the freedom level and it is the just means to make an engineer his/her own master. Devoid of clear-cut firm and specific ethical education, mechanical engineers may end up being mere technical depersonalized tool in other person’s world (Shimizu, 2010). It is for that reason Institution for Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) through a joint committee created a code of ethics for mechanical engineers. Basically, engineering systems are exceedingly multifaceted in both the process of manufacturing as well as product manufacturing with regard to the heightened demand of systems that are more heterogeneous, distributed, and networked. Consequently, two effects of mechanical engineering intricacy in line with ethical responsibility come into glare of publicity; firstly, is that mutual ethical responsibility between mechanical engineers, in case they are unsuccessful in meeting the stipulated deadline (Shimizu, 2010). For that reason, in case a person’s life in every facet depends on a system that is properly functioning, there must be a defined distribution of ethical responsibility in the midst of various roles in the development process of the system. Secondly, intricacy of mechanical engineering systems makes the analysis of mechanical engineers impacts to be much more indistinguishable and as a result the responsibility analysis is much more complicated. In essence, all and sundry would be much more contented in case there is an ideal approach to foresee behaviour of mechanical machines or systems (Van den Hoven, Lokhorst, & Ven de Poel, 2012). Nevertheless, mechanical engineering fails to offer an environment wherein formal verifications can be carried out to determine performance of engineering systems. In this regard, engineers must adhere to code of ethics, which is simply defined as a statement of rules, principles, regulations, or decrees created by engineering profession societies like the Board of Professional Engineers of Queensland (BPEQ) and Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers, Australia (APESMA) to make sure engineers ethical while working or designing novel machines. Therefore, every mechanical engineer is expected to make use of the code of ethics as a reference basis during their routine activities. Additionally, code of ethics presents guidelines on what to carry out and what to steer clear of while working. Conclusion In conclusion, it has been argue that the development of any mechanical technology can be undoubtedly hard task, regardless of sustainable innovation, for the reason that it needs infinitely diverse infrastructure, administrative and organizational requirements. Contrary to traditional innovation that was market-driven, sustainable development innovation integrate the additional constraints of environmental pressures and take into account the future generations. In addition, pressures on sustainable development can be steered by science that is yet to be acknowledged completely by the managerial and scientific communities. Nonetheless, faced with heightening pressure to take into account sustainable development, scores of engineering firms have tailored their business paradigms, and such alterations are over and over again emphasized in reports of corporate sustainability. Apart from that, all engineering advancement are attached to at least one ethical ambiguity, but most ethics in mechanical engineering concentrates on issues like property as well as ownership rights. References Pearce, J., Albritton, S., Grant, G., Steed, G., & Zelenika, I. (2012). A new model for enabling innovation in appropriate technology for sustainable development. Sustainability: Science, Practice, & Policy, 8(2), 42-53. Schubert, T., & Simar, L. (2011). Innovation and export activities in the German mechanical engineering sector: an application of testing restrictions in production analysis. Journal of Productivity Analysis, 36(1), 55-69. Shimizu, K. (2010). A Case Study of Engineering Ethics -A Questionnaire Survey for Ethics Value of Students, Practical Use of the Code of Ethics and Cases for Electrical Engineers. IEEJ Transactions on Fundamentals and Materials, 130(1), 110-116. Van den Hoven, J., Lokhorst, G.-J., & Ven de Poel, I. (2012). Engineering and the Problem of Moral Overload. Science and Engineering Ethics, 18(2), 143-155. Read More

Impact to society Mechanical engineering has positively impacted the society, given that engineers in this field develop valuable products for the society. They design as well as produce the whole lot from jet engines to medical devices, and they as well produce smart products. Presently, mechanical engineers have achieved a lot as compares to the industries conventionally allied with this innovation field, like power generation as well as transportation. Additionally, mechanical engineers are producing novel, imperative technologies that positively impact all facets of modern society.

By acknowledging that the products environmental impact that society use has turn out to be a vital design concern; modern mechanical engineers have made this an imperative spotlight. What’s more, mechanical engineering concentrate on sustainable design that focuses on world’s sustainable standards so as to promote environmental sustainability as well as assist societies gain knowledge of how to meet the demands for water, food, energy as well as other fundamental needs devoid of weakening the world's valuable resources.

Basically, humans have at all times aspired to enhance their living standards, and now, mechanical engineering concentrate much on inventing machines that will, make people healthier in terms of diagnosing diseases, more relaxed, more affluent, and secure in their day after day experiences and lives. Mechanical engineers contribute considerably to the creation of wealth across the globe, and thanks to them scores of in the society enjoy improved healthcare, good life quality and increased life expectancy (Schubert & Simar 2011).

Thanks to mechanical engineers, people can travel to any corner of the world for business or holidays, people can feed well, and also have better housed, in addition to living in a secure environment. In the third world countries, mechanical engineers have positively impacted the society by bringing reliable and safe sources of water to the society and have as well designed devices to stop avoidable infant mortality. Apart from that, satellites created by engineers in developed countries can provide pre-warnings of possible natural catastrophes and, for instance the Haiti earthquake or destructive tsunami that occurred in Japan, the satellites programmed in haste to offer vital data concerning the areas that are worst affected; thus, indisputably assisting rescuers to save lives.

Environmental Impact The first endeavors of mechanical engineers were bound for regulating the human surroundings by irrigating and draining land as well as by aerating mines. Refrigeration together with air conditioning is a case in point of the application of contemporary mechanical devices to manage the environment. Scores of the mechanical engineering products, alongside technological advancements in other engineering fields, lead to noise, water, and air the pollution as well as the negligence of scenery and land (Pearce et al., 2012). The production rate, both of power as well as goods, is increasing so fast that restoration through natural forces can no more keep pace.

In this regard, a strategy that puts together the goals of sustainable development as well as innovation is required. Plainly, achieving these goals needs a company to heavily invest in innovation, since through innovation a company can improve both environmental as well as fiscal performance. A number of observers’ stress that sustainable development can produce a round of innovative destruction, providing opportunities for fresh entrants as well as possible threats for existing businesses.

Others scholars such as Pearce et al. (2012) have recommended radical innovative technologies, processes, products, as well as environmental innovations to transform the current unsustainable patterns in mechanical engineering companies. Based on the argument, Schubert and Simar (2011) posits that incremental innovation that enhances competency is not enough to meet pressures of sustainable development.

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