Conflict of professional interest frequently arises in the w

Conflict of professional interest frequently arises in the working environment of an engineer’.

Discuss the statement and propose the appropriate solutions for overcoming the problems.

Solution

Conflict is so common in today’s world that is full with sophistication and complexity. All of us are facing with some kind of conflicts in our daily life. We are frequently encountering conflicts with our family members, friends, colleagues or even our bosses. Even the countries worldwide are having conflicts with each other such as conflict betweenUnited States and Republic of China. Conflict occurs as a result of different views, opinions and different interests in individual, society or country. Everybody, individuals, societies or countries are looking into their opinions and interests respectively. They adopt a defensive view of their opinions and interests. As a result, conflict occurs when one is disagree with another’s opinion. In the following section of this essay, I will discuss the conflict of professional interest in the working environment of an engineer in particular for the civil engineer, and suggest the appropriate solutions for overcoming these problems.

As mentioned in the earlier section, conflict occurs as a result of different opinions and interests in oneself from that of others. Engineering industry is a comparatively wide profession that involves various parties such as developers, contractors and consultant engineers etc. These parties would have their own interests and are always be there to safeguard their interests respectively. As a result, conflicts frequently arise in the working environment of the engineers. Developers are the clients for the construction project. They are basically businessmen that invest in property development and their main objective is to obtain profitability. Developers are basically the cost-conscious group and they are very concern about the cost aspects of the project.

As for contractors, they are also cost-conscious but their main interest is to complete the project fast within the allocated timeframe in order for them to claim construction fees in soonest possible time. Consultant engineers however are more concern about the quality of works of the construction activities. They are there to ensure that the construction works are carried out in accordance to relevant engineering codes and complying with international best practices. The different interests in these parties have resulted in conflicts occurring between these parties in a frequent basis.

Various effective measures can be adopted in the direction to reduce conflicts between the developers, contractors and consultant engineers. One of the most effective measures towards reducing conflicts is to cultivate mutual respect between each other. All the three parties would have to instil a relatively high awareness in themselves on the other parties responsibilities and interests. They have to be aware of and understand the interests of the other parties. Developers, contractors and consultant engineers would have to respect each other and compromise solution that could meet requirements of all the three parties respectively. In this respect, they could perhaps create shared objectives or goals that mutually meet the critical requirements of all parties in order to avoid any unnecessary conflicts from occurring.

Developers, contractors and consultant engineers would have to meet each other in a more frequent basis to discuss as well as resolve construction issues in a speedy manner. Very common, construction industry is flooded with various construction issues and problems. However conflicts would occur if these issues were not being resolved in a speedy manner. As a result, all parties must meet in a more frequent basis in order to resolve necessary site problems without delay. This is important to avoid any unnecessary conflicts from developing. In addition, all parties must ensure that effective communication is taken place in order to minimise unnecessary conflicts as a result of miscommunication.

Perhaps the most important measure to minimise conflict is to put yourself into other people shoes. One would have to possess high self-awareness and be able to understand the other’s parties concerns in order to gain respect in the society. Developers, contractors and consultant engineers must try to understand the responsibilities and obligations of one another respectively in order to minimise unnecessary conflicts from occurring.