Topic outline

  • Engineering Ethics: The Question of Gift or Bribe

    Credits: 1 PDH

    PDH Course Description:

    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.

    Topics:

    Course participants will be able to:
    • state definitions of a bribe and a gift.
    • give examples of gifts based on a personal relationship.
    • give examples in which gifts to spouses may be accepted and where they may not be accepted.
    • give examples of ethical considerations involving free attendance at meetings and conferences.
    • explain the appropriate procedure for disposing of disallowed gifts.

    To take this course:

    1.) Enroll in Course: Click below to enroll:
    (must be logged into your user account)


    2.) Study: Once enrolled, click below to begin the course:

    Download the Study Guide

    3.) Test: Once you've thoroughly read the course materials, please click below to take the final examination.

    Take the final exam

    4.) Certificate: A passing grade of 70% or higher on the exam, is required to receive the certificate of completion for this PDH course.
         NOTE: After the exam is completed, you will need to return to this page, in order to print (download) the certificate of completion.

    Print the Certificate of Completion

    Intended Audience: This course is intended as an ethics course for any discipline of engineer, seeking guidance on distinguishing between ethical gift-giving and bribery.
    Publication Source: Original Courseware by Mark Rossow, PhD, PE (retired)

    Mark Rossow, PE (retired), PhD

    • Topic 1