What do society and industry expect from the engineer?
Even though the accomplishments of engineers have strongly formed our world,
society does not hold them in very high esteem. The reasons for this are being the
fear of environmental destruction and uncontrollable developments. What is easily
overlooked, however, is the fact that without technology world population would
hardly be able to survive. Therefore, it is the engineers’ duty to explain technology
to their contemporaries in easy and clear terms and to confront themselves with
global challenges such as climate changes or the north-south drop. Information is
one of the key factors of engineering work1.
Engineers form our environment. Our world has been strongly formed by
engineers. They have found means to considerably expand human physical strength
and to use new energies. The use of coal, natural oil and gas, the generation of
electrical energy and the construction of nuclear power stations are just as great
engineering accomplishments as the machines driven by these energies, from the
steam engine to a variety of combustion engines to electrical motors.
It was also the engineers who have decisively improved our mobility: without
engineers there would be no wheels, bicycles, cars, airplanes or rockets.
The generation and use of energy have become normal things for us, just like
our extremely high mobility. In the last couple of days I have virtually flown all the
way round the globe and have not ceased to admire the technological
accomplishments of our engineers.
Finally, it is also the engineers who protect us against or rescue us from the
forces of nature. The’ building of dykes, boldly designed bridges and buildings, the
development of rescue helicopters which have saved unnumbered lives, are good
examples here.
Not to forget the important contributions engineers have made to fields like
hygiene, sewage systems and street cleaning. We all know that the plagues in the
Middle Ages which were caused by the overpopulation in the cities were not
overcome by asceticism but by advancing technology and hygiene. Thanks to
modern sewage technology, today more people can live and find shelter in a single
building than in a whole medieval town, without giving rise to the scourges of the
plague or cholera.
These are only a few examples out of many. Without technology only 10% of
today’s population would be able to live “after a fashion” in the territory of
Germany. That means that in Germany alone 90% of the population would have no
chance to survive without technology. This is one way to explain why the
profession “engineer” and the word “genius” have the same etymological back
ground. I regard this as a very impressive sign for the great admiration the engineer
enjoyed at that time.
How society sees the engineer. Therefore, one could conclude that the engineer
would hold a top position in public opinion. But this is not the case in all countries.
Repeated polls have revealed that in Germany professions like medical doctors,
university professors, clergymen and lawyers have a far better reputation in society
than engineers. Even nuclear physicists are held in higher esteem than engineers.
What are the reasons for this surprising discrepancy between the forming power
of the engineer’s work and his reputation in public opinion?
The engineers and their reputation are only symbols standing for technology
and technological development. Since the early days of the industrial revolution
and particularly in this century when technological development gathered pace, the
question about the “nature and sense of technological evolution has more and more
become a widely discussed problem. Under this public pressure the assessment of
the consequences of technology has become a central topic in engineering sciences
in recent years.
Skepticism towards technology and engineers. Technology, blessing or
curse? For many years this has been a common exam question at German schools. I
do not want or have to discuss this question here. But let me briefly point out why
engineers as incarnation of technology are often looked at with mixed feelings in
our society.
In this context the fear of industrial technology destroying our environment
plays a vital role.
Nobody can deny that the use of technologies holds certain dangers for our
environment. But from the comparison of the East and the West we ought to have
learnt that certain conditions in terms of social structure or economic policy can
determine technological development to such an extent that the same technology
could bring completely different results.
If the state is the owner of enterprises and means of production, it is at the same
time responsible for the definition of rules and regulations, so that any stricter
regulation in the field of environmental protection would cause extra costs for its
own companies. No wonder that the owner, in this case the state, will do all he can
to avoid such costs. We all know the negative effects of such behavior.
If the state, however, functions as refereed between the companies playing in
the field of environmental protection
— taking an image from sports —, results like modern environmental
technology will be achieved.
The fear that technology is a danger for our environment is therefore only
justified in cases where the necessary pre conditions are missing.
Very often prosperity achieved through technology is directly associated with
environmental destruction, where by it is overlooked that especially poverty causes
severe damage to the environment.
As examples I would like to mention environmental pol lution through garbage,
waste water and fumes, which in the poor countries are not reduced due to the lack
of money.
Another example is the misuse of land for agricultural purposes as a result of
poverty: the cultivation of rice in dry zones, i.e. in some parts of Africa, with its
extensive irrigation requirements leads to a lowering of the ground water level over
a wide area and to an exhaustion of the soil. Prosperity, however, allows us to
avoid such effects.
The engineer’s task is to explain these interconnections also to the public and to
actively participate in solving obvious problems. This is a very important objective
of technological development: the “right technology” can save resources and
protect the environment. It can considerably contribute to better acceptance of the
industrial society and the engineers.
The reasons for the fears of many people towards technology are obvious:
— global warming, ozone depletion, CO increase;
— complex technological systems are believed to hold the danger of
uncontrollable consequences caused b minor technical deficiencies;
— collapse of road traffic, etc.
These are a few catch phrases which are repeatedly used as examples to
demonstrate the negative effects of technological evolution, also in the context of
current developments.
The multiple examples of technological achievements which make life easier
and more interesting have to be particularly emphasized to be noticed. Just to
mention medical technology, broadcasting and television, electronic data
processing, communication technology and its far reaching effects, or even far
simpler examples from every day life.
Technology as “job killer”. Or let us think of the intensive discussion that has
been going on in some industrialized countries for years on whether or not
technology causes unemployment, technology as “job killer”. When one observes
from one’s own individual economic experience how a production process is being
streamlined by means of modern technology with the result that part of the human
workforce becomes redundant, it seems to be logical that technology is responsible
for unemployment, that it is a simple matter of cause and effect.
However, not everything that a person experiences or sees remains correct when
it is being analyzed. Often only an objective systems analysis can reveal the
relevant inter relationships. Therefore, only those analyzing the reasons for
unemployment will get to know them. They will find that technology is not the
cause of unemployment because countries with a very advanced technological
level, like Japan, the USA, Sweden and Switzerland, do not by far have the highest
world unemployment rates.
We have seen that society has a skeptical view of technology. Therefore, it is
clear that the engineers who generate this machinery and keep it going are not held
in very high esteem either.
Declining animosity towards technology. In the late 1970s widespread
skepticism, or even animosity towards technology led to a relative and absolute
decline in the number of engineering students in Germany.
During that time I encouraged the German Association of Plant Engineers to
offensively promote the engineering career. This was apparently good timing, since
promotion alone cannot explain the subsequent change in trend.
The number of students starting engineering careers experienced a dramatic
upswing since the early 1980s. Since the mid 1980s the number has remained at a
high level. More than a quarter of newly matriculates in 1989/1990 took an
engineering course.
In Germany animosity towards technology seems to be declining since the early
1980s. According to a recent op ion poll (Emnid), today three out of four Germans
are convinced “that technological evolution has more positive than negative
effects”. The modern industrial society which is based on technological
advancement seems to have over come the extended phase of lost self-confidence
and re discovered its identity. The climate has turned research. friendly again.
Nevertheless, the engineers always have to keep the factor “fear” in mind. It is a
clear fact that growing risks require growing attention to keep them under control.
Those who take fears and concerns seriously. an overcome them more easily.
Life-long studies. Changes in knowledge are taking place at ever higher speed.
This compels us to life-long learning. Therefore, besides training for the job,
permanent training on the job will take up ever more time in the career of an
engineer. What industry requires from young engineers is that they are prepared to
provide new knowledge from the universities to their colleagues and to accept
practical experience provided by their colleagues. They wil1 remain “students”
throughout their career because they will have to study all life long.
The share of female students in Germany is still far too small. It is currently at
12%, but the trend being upwards. All male arrogance is irrational, also in the field
of engineering. Therefore we ought to give more girls or women the opportunity to
learn an engineering profession and to afford them unlimited recognition as
colleagues.
Changed requirements of engineers. Good expertise will naturally always be
required. But, besides thorough know ledge of fundamentals, creativity, the
capability of creating something “new” within the production process, will play an
ever growing role. Whoever leads an expedition into an unknown land must have a
pioneering spirit. He cannot rely on beaten tracks: Only through exceptional
innovations and large investments can high labor costs and reduced working hours
be justified.
I intentionally put creativity in the first place. Besides creativity there must, of
course, be absolute awareness of quality. In order to be ah to withstand the harsh
reality of competition, prices must be “protected” through innovations, quality as
well as numerous other technical and economic advantages.
The European Single Market is just around the corner, and the world is
shrinking in terms of costs. Therefore, the engineer must develop better
understanding for foreign mentalities and cultures. This begins with the learning
(speaking and understanding) of foreign languages. It is advantageous for a country
if its important branches of industry, i.e. mechanical engineering, are characterized
by small and medium-sized enterprises. Smaller companies can exist in the market
thanks to their flexibility and ability to adjust to market conditions. And precisely
these capabilities are required in a situation where products and markets, customer
requests and currencies are constantly changing and companies have to “shuffle the
pack over and over again”.
Today’s engineer also needs to have some management as well as economic and
political knowledge. He must discuss socio-political questions. He must actively
contribute to a better acceptance of technology, to a consciousness of the
possibilities and limits of his profession.
Objective recognition of technology. I am convinced that we arc experiencing
a change in the attitude towards technological development. Despite all criticism,
today no body argues about the necessity of technology. It could only be of benefit
to technology, if its “prophets them selves strived for a differentiated view of
technology. We would not do justice to technology if we adopted the blind belief in
progress of the late 19th century, nor would the visions of the end of the world of
the last decades take us any further.
Technology in itself is of no value. It does not bring paradise, but it does not
take us to hell either. Technology was created by man, and it can be controlled by
man. It is part of an evolution which started with the Renaissance, it is part of the
Enlightenment, the mental liberation of man, and it cannot be considered isolated
from this mental evolution. Medicine, physics, astronomy, all rational sciences
spring from the same mind. Their consequences condition each other.
New tasks for the engineers. The engineers are presented with many new
tasks. I have already mentioned innovative products and innovative production
processes.
These tasks are coupled with the obligation to conserve resources and protect
the environment.
We are on the verge of the development of a worldwide information society.
Information has overcome borders and changed the world. The engineer must
regard information as one of the most important factors of his work.
We have to be prepared to help not only the countries in East Europe, but also
the Third World. It is rightly often stressed that wide gaps in prosperity will
ultimately lead to friction and problems.
Here lie the biggest dangers of t near future. I deem the danger of migrations
from east to west, from south to north in the short and medium term more serious
than, for example, the problem of global warming. Also these dangers can only be
faced with progressive strategies.
It was my intention to mention some new tasks of the engineer. But I would
also like to urge on all of us to take overall responsibility for what we do and fail to
do. It is our obligation to try to get a general view of things.
We are called upon to explain what we do. Nothing is more inappropriate than
to have too high an opinion of oneself to explain things in a manner understandable
to non-experts.
The arrogant behavior of technocrats who wrap a nebulous veil around their
work by using highly technical language is unacceptable. The ability to present
complex issues in clear language must be a matter of course for a good engineering
performance. The dialogue with other disciplines has to be a must for any engineer.
The engineer must be willing to work in a team. We must think about the
consequences of our actions at the beginning of technological developments.
Ethical and moral values must not be disregarded. Short-term benefit alone is not
all that counts.
I am not an engineer myself, but I am extremely fascinated about their creative
work. Even though society some times underestimates the engineer, it certainly
knows how much it needs him.
Tyll Necker
Vice-president of the Federal Association of German Industry
Metallurgical Plant sad Technology International 2/1992
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Revised version of a speech held at the celebration of the 25th Anniversary of
the Engineering and Process Technology Department of the Technical University
Clausthal in Clausfhal-Zeaerfefd. Germany, on October 24. 1991. Or. h. C. Tyll
Necker. General manager. Hako-Werke GmbH 8 Co.. Bad Oldesloe. Germany and
Vice-president of the Federal Association of German Industry (BDI).