In 1986, engineer Allan
McDonald refused to
okay the space shuttle
Challenger launch. But
he was overruled and the
launch was approved.
The shuttle exploded,
killing all crew members
onboard—and McDonald
has spent much of the
past 30 years talking
with engineers and
their bosses, including
NSPE members, in an
attempt to keep something similar from
happening again.
But it did happen again 17 years later
with the space shuttle Columbia, which
disintegrated on re-entry because pieces of
foam insulation from the external fuel tank
struck the left wing of the orbiter on launch,
damaging Columbia’s heat shield. In 2003,
the Columbia Accident Investigation Board
saw strong parallels with the Challenger
disaster and remarked insightfully about
the loss of seven lives: “NASA’s organiza-
tional culture and structure had as much to
do with this accident as the external tank
foam. Organizational culture refers to the
values, norms, beliefs, and practices that
govern how an institution functions.”
One might have thought that the goal-
driven NASA culture that gave rise to the
Challenger disaster would have made a
Columbia disaster impossible. But institu-
tional cultures do not change of their own
accord—and this is as true in finance (Wells
Fargo) and pharmaceuticals (Mylan’s EpiPen
pricing) as it is in the aerospace industry.
Employees of all disciplines and leadership levels at some time face situations
that test their ethical convictions. Most
people want to do the right thing, but
they have conflicting pressures. Often
these situations arise slowly and without
much notice, though at other times they
are sudden and dramatic.
What can individuals do to keep both
their principles—and their careers? Are
they powerless in a corporate environment
in which ethics is not emphasized? Where
can one get moral encouragement to do the
right thing, even if one’s job is on the line?
There are a number of important sources
for such encouragement: one’s family, one’s
church, one’s professional association
(codes and oaths), and, often overlooked,
the ethical support system provided by
one’s educational institution.
McDonald suggests that such encouragement must come first and foremost from
the corporate culture itself. And responsibility for establishing an ethical culture lies
with leadership. But how can leaders institutionalize ethics? How many organizations
provide comprehensive ethics education
for employees?
In Minnesota, where we teach engineering
and MBA students, all licensed professional
engineers are required to take continuing
education in ethics every two years. Does
management take such continuing education seriously? And how many organizations
encourage employees to identify and expose
ethical problems to management and peers?
How many organizations guarantee protection for those who do?
For workers in corporate environments
where the culture is “go along to get
along,” the remedy starts with the tone
at the top. Our experience is that when
employees speak up, they
are sometimes penalized,
but more often they are
recognized for their principles and courage, and
even promoted.
We have mentored graduating students, suggesting
that when they are interviewing for a position in a
company, they should also
be evaluating the company
for a fit with their own beliefs
and convictions. Prospective
employees can put companies on notice that, to get the
talent they need, they must
create a culture of ethics and
trust. If they don’t, valued
employees will find their
way to organizations that do.
Ethics and the Pursuit of a Good Night’s Sleep
BY KENNETH E. GOODPASTER, PH.D., AND RONALD J. BENNETT, PH.D., P.E.
McDonald, who certainly worked in an
ethically challenging environment, suggests
that being able to sleep well at night might
be more important than employment.
One of the bedrock questions is how do
ordinary people (Wells Fargo employees told
to set up fake accounts, for example) tackle
the challenge that McDonald faced: If I speak
up, I will lose my job and I may never work
again, at least at my salary level and in my
profession. How can people balance the
often-competing interests of supporting their
family and doing what they know is right?
How is your organization addressing
this issue, and what are you personally
doing about it?
Kenneth E. Goodpaster, Ph.D., is the
David and Barbara Koch Professor of
Business Ethics, Emeritus, Opus College
of Business, University of St. Thomas in St.
Paul, Minnesota.
Ronald J. Bennett, Ph.D., P.E., is founding
dean and professor emeritus at the
University of St. Thomas’s School of
Engineering. He teaches and publishes in
materials engineering, innovation, strategy,
technology transfer, leadership, and
engineering education.
GOODPASTER
BENNETT
AT THE NSPE 2015 ANNUAL MEETING IN SEATTLE, AEROSPACE
CONSULTANT AND AUTHOR ALLAN MCDONALD SHARED THE ETHICS
LESSONS HE LEARNED AFTER THE 1986 SPACE SHUTTLE CHALLENGER
DISASTER. MCDONALD REFUSED TO SIGN THE LAUNCH RECOMMENDATION
FOR THE MISSION, BUT HE WAS OVERRULED.
