The ideas and examples referenced below are notes compiled by Robert Keel from his reading of Volti, Rudi. 2014. Society and Technological Change. 7th edition. New York, NY: Worth Publishers. They are intended for classroom use

The Role of  Experts and Expertise

• "Knowledge is Power" Francis Bacon.
• Since technology is based on knowledge, it stands to reason that possession of technology is power.
• But is it this simple?
• In Bacon’s time it was possible for "the average man" to know basic scientific principles. If he did not know, it was within the realm of possibility for him to know.
• Today it is very different.
• Scientific knowledge has undergone so much growth and specialization that it is nearly impossible to know all there is to know.
• There are more that 900 specializations within science alone.
• Few people know how TV works, but 98% of the population tunes in.
  1. The general population’s ignorance of technological processes makes it difficult for citizens to control the direction of technological change.
  2. Technology cannot be judged purely by its technical merit.
  3. Social consequences must be considered.
  4. Also, the fact that scientists have an interest in shrouding their work in secrecy needs to be considered.

"…Experts are in a position to influence the course of technological change, but at the same time, they face many difficulties in converting their knowledge into power. Having the correct technical answers isn’t enough; wielding power requires the mobilization of a constituency and the ability to create a broad base of support." (page 358)

Engineers and The Control of Technology

• New technology typically the work of engineers.
• Since much of our world is shaped by technology, it could be argued that engineers have a powerful influence on society.
• Thorstein Veblen (Sociologist- 20^th Century)(see also)
  1. Engineers are the "indispensable factor in the everyday work of carrying on the country’s productive industry."
  2. Yet, engineers have "nothing to say in the direction and planning of this industry, except as employees in the pay of financiers." (Veblen, quoted in Volti, page 359)
  3. This dialectic, Veblen argued, was the greatest obstacle to continued economic progress.
  4. Power, then, needed to be in the hands of engineers—men of science—who would ensure technological progress.
• Daniel Bell and Post-Industrial Society.
• This notion has been supported by John Kenneth Galbraith, in his book, The New Industrial State.
• Management now in the hands of the "technostructure": managers and engineers with the specialized knowledge and talent essential to planning and decision making.

The Work Environment of Engineers

• If Veblen and Galbraith are correct, then engineers should be in control of their work…right?
• Engineers do enjoy a certain freedom in their work, but not to the extent expected under Veblen’s and Galbraith’s analysis.
• Engineers are rarely self-employed. Thus, they must conform to organization expectations like other professions.
• Engineers who advance in their profession, rarely remain solely as engineers. Many go on to become managers.
• A manager’s concerns are often quite different from those of an engineer.
• Managers have to worry about profit and efficiency. Engineers are concerned with the facts.
• Whistle-blowing: Group think and communication flow.
• Conformity --going along with one's peers (Asch)
  

  The Challenger Disaster:

  1. Engineers knew the O-rings might erode because of cold weather.
  2. Managers insisted the mission continue.
  3. An engineer’s battle for "truth" within her organization will often be a lonely one.

Questions? (page 364)

1. Some experts claim nuclear power is safe and economical, others claim the opposite.  How can we decide?  What criteria are relevant to understanding such claims.
2. What should the role of engineers be in making decisions concerning the goals of their organizations?

• Back to Chapter 18

• On to the impact of Organizations

• On to the role of Government