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"8" PAPER - The Engineer in Society - March 2013

SECTION "8" -THE ENGINEER IN SOCIETY

THE INSTITUTION OF ENGINEERS, SRI LANKA

PROFESSIONAL REVIEW EXAMINATION

Date: 19th March 2013 Time allowed: 3 hours

Instructions to Candidates

Before answering the question paper, please read the instructions given below.

o Answer four questions only. Answer at least one question from section 1

o Each question will carry 25 marks.

o Answers to each question should be written on a separate answer sheet, ase~ch will be marked by a separate examiner.

o Write your Index Number and relevant Question Number clearly on top ofeach answer sheet.

o It is important that you write question numbers to which you have answeredin the cage provided on the cover page.

o Pay attention to legibility, grammar, spelling and punctuation marks, inaddition the relevance, organization and style of presentation.

o Answer to all questions should be in essay form, unless otherwise specifiedin the relevant question.

o Rough work (if any) may be embodied in the answers, but should be struckout with a single line. No marks will be given for rough work. Do not tear anypages from answer books.

SECTION 1

"8" PAPER - The Engineer in Society- March 2013

Section 118" Question Paper - March 2013

Question 1:

Clause 3 of the IESL Code of Ethics states that "Engineers shall build their reputation onmerit and shall not compete unfairly."

This requirement is to ensure that engineers shall not seek to gain a benefit by impropermeans. Of the eight ways in which this is to be observed, describe four and provideanexample foreach one of the four cases,to describe how the Code of Ethics may be violatedand what steps must be taken to avoid such violations.

Question 2:

Recognition as a Chartered Engineer is open to any engineer who can demonstratecompetence to perform professional work to the necessary standards. Engineers becomecompetent through a mixture of education and professional development.

List the five Core Competences expected of a Chartered Engineer and describe whichaspects of anEngineer's development are covered by these Competences.

SECTION 2

Question 3:

How could the activities and eventual decisions of the United Nations (UN) Organisation,includingat sessions of the UN Human Rights Organisation, affect Sri Lanka's nationalinterests and implementation of its foreign policy, owing to measures taken by

a) Other UN member-states;b) Non-governmental human rights organisations; r

c) Remaining elements of armed groups as well as its criminal element; andd) Sri Lanka's diaspora.

Question 4:

'Sustainable Consumption and Production is the key to Sustainable Development, andMillennium Development Goals can only be achieved if we set our Millennium ConsumptionGoals correctly.'

"8" PAPER - The Engineer in Society - March 2013

Discuss the above statement, explaining the underlined terms, and describe how you cancontribute to Sustainable Development by making changes to conducting 'business as usual'in your home, office, your work site/ factory/ workshop, and to your own lifestyle.

Question 5:

'Most executives are promoted to management roles as a routine in their career path.However, only a few of them become leaders'.

Critically evaluate the above statement, highlighting the roles and competences of theleaders and managers.

Question 6:

Almost 80% of our country's demand for mobility is met through the mode of roadtransport, and the country is spending heavily for improvements and as well as forconstruction of new road transport infrastructure. Yet these interventions have not beenable to effectively address urban traffic congestion. What affordable and sustainabledemand management strategies would you propose to mitigate the urban trafficcongestionin our country? Explain your answer with examples from countries you have visited orinformation on efficient urban transportation systemsand demand management strategiesyou have read about.

Question 7:

With the increase of urbanisation, change of life style and increased use of appliances, thedemand for electricity is on the increase. At present, Sri Lanka needs anadditionalgenerating capacity of about 300MW each year. Construction of electric power plants needa largecapital and the Sri Lankan government finds it difficult to allocate such capital forpower generation, owing to compelling needs for investments in other important servicessuch as education and healthcare. In this scenario, Independent Power Producers (IPPs)have been encouraged since 1996 to construct power plants, and power utilities have topurchase power from such IPPs under Power Purchase Agreements(PPAs). Discuss the longterm advantages/disadvantages of the twomethods, ieGovernment-assisted investmentsand private investments, and recommend with reasons a strategyfor financing future powerplants in Sri Lanka.

Question 8:

a) Examine the features characterising "Import-Substitution" oriented developmentpolicies.

b) Since independence, the Sri Lankan economy underwent different spells of governance,where import substitution policies were prominent to various degrees. Discuss thenational economic policy evolution in Sri Lanka, identifying different periods with their

B" PAPER - The Engineer in Society- March 2013

underlying policy orientations, relative successes achieved and difficulties faced bypursuing such policies.

c) "Import substitution strategies and export promotion strategies are not necessarilymutually exclusive". Criticallyanalyse this statement vis-a-vis a developing economywith a relatively small market size such as Sri Lanka.

Question 9:

a) Discuss the role played by infrastructure in the course of development of the Sri Lankaneconomy, while highlighting its relevance to investor attractiveness and inter-regionalequity.

b) The Sri Lankan Government has recently launched an intensive physical infrastructuredevelopment strategy reflected by mega development projects such as ports, airports,power plants, highways and railways, most of which are implemented using borrowedcapital on bilateral negotiations. Such projects are executed through contractorsnominated by such lenders. Examine (a) the rationale and (b) the pros and cons to thenational economy of such an infrastructure-driven mega investment strategy as well asits financing and implementation mechanisms.

I :'

What alternative policies could you possibly recommend to the Sri Lankan policy.makers with aview to deriving highernational benefits in implementing such megadevelopment projects?

Question 10:

a) Discuss the role and the scope covered by the three main International StandardsBodies. What are the benefits of ISOStandards?

b) Justify the statement /1150 Standards make trade between countries easier andfairer". Explain your response with suitable examples of ISO standards and typicaltrade activities between countries.

Question 11:

Non-technical senior managers, at times, assume that formulating business strategy and, inparticular, formulating technology strategy is too important a matter to be left to engineers.Such managers tend to feel that those deeply involved in the equipment or system- specificday to day technical matters cannot comprehend the complex issues that govern long termcompetitiveness of a business. They also think that engineers are not aware of the truebusiness potential of technology.Do you agree? If so why? If not, why not?