Spectral lines: Conflict of interest

In today's business and professional world, mention of the term conflict of interest gains instant attention. It denotes something to be avoided at all costs, when, indeed, in its general sense, conflict of interest is unavoidable. Governments, corporations, and institutions are prey to it. Whole professions exist to adjudicate conflicts of interest; lawyers do it, judges do it, managers do it, and yes, even engineers do it.