Reference no: EM133702074

Engineering Research Methodology and Application

Assignment -Ethics Report

Boeing 737 Max Catastrophe

Graduate Capabilities Communicating and Influencing

Report presents an insightful contribution to the orgins and circumstances of events, bringing together different (divergent) perspectives and strategically deploying evidence to highlight the dimensions of the problem(s) and ground its resolution in supported recommendations

Inquiry and Analysis -Critical Thinking

Presents an analysis of the overall context (organisational structure or culture), and evaluates its effects on the key decisions and causal factors in a series of events or occurrence

Inquiry and Analysis -Research and Evidence-Based Inquiry

Evaluates the impact of the context (organisational structure or culture) on ethical decision making, analysing the effects on a series of events, and makes convincing recommendations to encourage an ethical organisational culture

Communication- Written Communication - Employs an approved academic citation system precisely and appropriately, with citations used in a timely fashion and with discernment to add emphasis and substance to an argument, observation or point.

Resources

1. Television Documentary
Boeing's Fatal Flaw (Duration: 53 minutes)

This Frontline Documentary (53 minutes) is a comprehensive investigation into the events contributing to the downing of the 737 Max aircraft in Indonesia and Ethiopia. Warning: Some scenes are emotionally confronting.
2. Government Investigation and Report(PDF)
House Committee on Infrastructure and Transportation (2020).Final Committee Report: The design, Development & Certification of the Boeing 737 Max(Just read the Executive Summary)

3. Newspaper Articles

i. Summaries
This article is a factual summary of the investigation since the two aircraft crashes, from the New York Times.
This article appeared in The Verge, (22/3/2019)an online science and entertainment magazine. It provides a succinct summary of events leading up to and after the aircraft crashes. It also contains follow up articles.

ii. Role of Government Regulator
US regulator failed to ground Boeing 737 Maxdespite risks
This article looks at the role of the chief regulator, the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA), and in the Boeing 737 Max catastrophe.
With its ties in Washington, Boeing has takenover more and more of the FAA's job
This article considers how the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA), the government body overseeing and regulating airline safety in the United States delegated important quality assurance work to Boeing.

iii. Company Reaction after Crashes
Boeing sees ‘no reason to overhaul' its airplanedevelopment process as aviation industryconverges on Renton, Wash.
This article looks at Boeing's reactions after the second fatal crash, Ethiopian Airliner.

iv. Complexity of Production Processes and Technology
These articles look at the complexity of manufacturing systems, and the increase reliance on automation in products. Both of these have implications for responsibility and accountability in modern manufacturing.
Boeing's 737 Max design contains fingerprints ofhundreds of suppliers
The Boeing crashes are a cautionary tale aboutautomation

v. Reactions from Pilots
These articles look at the reactions of pilots to Boeing's neglect to inform them about the new features of the Boeing 737 Max
Pilots say they were ‘in the dark' about Boeing's737 safety update
Pilots unions accuse Boeing of withholdingsafety information

vi. Engineers Speak out
Boeing 737 Max Safety System Was Vetoed, Engineer Says (New York Times, 29 October, 2019)
This article looks at the complaint by a Boeing Engineer on the company's corporate culture.