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Front Matter i-xii
BACKGROUND 1-1
Historical Development 2-2
Structural Characteristics 3-4
Features of the Present Era 5-6
Supply and Demand 7-8
OUTLOOK FOR THE FUTURE 9-10
1 Introduction 11-11
Traditional Views of Engineering 12-12
The Reality: Diversity in a Complex World 13-13
Significance of Societal Perceptions 14-14
CALCULATING THE VECTOR OF CHANGE: WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? 15-16
Birth of the Technological Society: 17901850 17-19
The Engineering Education System 20-21
Diversification of the Engineering Disciplines 22-22
Corporate Technology and the Corporate Engineer: 1880 and After 23-25
Global Depression, Global War 26-27
World War II 28-28
EARLY STRUCTURAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ENGINEERING 29-29
Undeveloped Societal Demands 30-30
Infrastructure Development 31-31
Supportive Societal Environment 32-32
Adaptability and Responsiveness 33-33
Diversity 34-34
POSTWAR CHANGES IN SCOPE 35-35
Expansion of Government's Role 36-37
The Information Explosion 38-38
Global Business, Global Markets 39-39
IMPACTS ON ENGINEERING 40-40
Multiplying Specialties/Interdisciplinary Activity 41-41
The Educational System 42-43
The Professional Societies 44-45
Engineer as Corporate Employee 46-46
Engineer as Government Employee 47-48
Intensification of Social Issues in Engineering 49-52
The Societal Demand-Pull Factor 53-53
Mechanisms for Meeting the Demand 54-54
Factors Limiting Supply Response 55-56
Arguments For and Against Specialization 57-57
Alternative Approaches 58-58
Potential Impacts on Society 59-60
Potential Impacts on Engineering Employment 61-61
Roles and Responsibility for Intervention 62-62
SOCIETY'S RESPONSIBILITY TO THE ENGINEERING PROFESSION 63-64
5 Maintaining Flexibility in an Age of Stress and Rapid Change 65-65
Does the Supply Meet the Demand? 66-66
Is the Quality of the "Product" Adequate? 67-67
Potential Scenarios of the Future 68-68
Significance of the Scenarios 69-69
General Stresses 70-71
RECOMMENDATION 72-72
RECOMMENDATION 73-73
RECOMMENDATION 74-74
RECOMMENDATION 75-75
References 76-76
Bibliography 77-78
Appendix 79-80
Engineering in an Increasingly Complex Society 81-81
CONTENTS 82-82
Introduction 83-84
Engineering as a Method for Solving Problems 85-88
Engineering as a Profession 89-91
Engineering as Social Practice 92-95
Science and Engineering 96-100
Responding to Innovation 101-105
Institutional Imperatives 106-109
The Engineer and the Marketplace 110-114
Educating Engineers 115-119
Resilience in Times of Crisis 120-123
Engineering in Society 124-127
Conclusions 128-128
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 129-129
Presenters 130-130
Committee Members 131-131
Other 132-132

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Engineering in Society (1985)

Chapter: Features of the Present Era

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Engineering in Society (1985)

Chapter: Features of the Present Era