Testing water sources

 

Is it ethical to conduct this study?

Yes as long as others can build onto it

• Test water sources for disease pathogens 
• Need assistance from the community 
• It is not ethical to conduct the study without a pension considering the members of the community could benefit from a small profit that might help their community immensely. 
• Considering there are several publications willing to work alongside there might be enough money for the citizens to gain 

 

Facts in the Situations: 

• Low and Middle-Income Countries: Lesotho is a small developing country in South Africa 
• Mission: test water sources 
• Pathogen only found in Lesotho
• Community members will have to help find and store water

 

Define Stakeholders and Motivations: 

• Primary: Community members 
  • Money (if provided)
  • Safe water 
  • Knowledge for their own solution 
• Primary: Academic researchers (10)
  • Understanding lifecycle 
  • Educating others on the pathogen 
• Secondary: Scientific community 
  • Absorb information for their future publications and studies 
• Secondary: Low and Middle-Income countries with similar issues
• Secondary: Organizations/agencies the researchers belonging to
• Lesotho’s environment 
• People previously affected by the pathogen

 

Formulate alternative solutions:

1. Members of the research team would find the locations of the water resources themselves in order to remove the issue of compensation.
   1. Pros: This is ethically sound and does not impose upon the community
   2. Cons: Intruding on the community 
2. Using money as an incentive to force the Lesotho community to work with them.
   1. Pros: Can help community members economically
   2. Cons: Community members might find it offensive if not communicated appropriately
3. Emphasizing the importance of the testing 
   1. Pros: Researchers will gain the community’s trust and promote education
   2. Cons: Community being against the testing based on their new knowledge 

Seek additional assistance, as appropriate – engineering codes of ethics, previous cases, peers, reliance on personal experience, inner reflection

• Looking for best practices in working with low and medium-income communities
• If compensating, looking for the appropriate rate to pay members

 

Select the best course of action – that which satisfies the highest core ethical values. Explain reasoning and justify. Discuss your stance vis-a-vis other approaches discussed in the class. 

Overall the best course of action would be for the researchers to compensate the citizens in order for there to be an appropriate transaction between the two. Ethically this would allow for the community to understand how gracious and empathetic the researchers feel towards them. 

 

(If applicable) What are the implications of your solution on the venture. Explain the impact of your proposed solution on the venture’s technology, economic, social, and environmental aspects.

Although it doesn’t directly affect the venture, our solution will only be able to positively influence and aid the community.