Evolvement of Engineering Profession as described in Noble and Layton

Layton looks at the balance/compromise/influence between business and professionalism in the formation and evolution of engineering societies in America. He talks about the requirements of becoming a member in the engineering society. Layton writes four different tests: 1) technical creativity, 2) ability to design, 3) being in “responsible charge” of engineering work, and 4) company or industrial affiliation for obtaining full membership in engineering society. These four tests of full membership constitute a definition of the term “engineer”. Layton goes on to discuss the complication and controversy that the tests created on who is and is not eligible for the full membership in engineering society. With this the two dominant engineering societies: America Society of Civil Engineering (ASCE) and American Institute of Mining Engineers (AIME) in the 1870s are discussed. The ASCE stood for “ideal of engineering as an independent profession” and the AIME embodied the engineering as “an integral part of business”. With both societies having drawbacks, two additional societies were formed known as the America Society for Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and American Institute of Electrical Engineers (AIEE). Both of these societies attempted to combine “the professionalism of the ASCE with the industrial service of the AIME”. These four societies were known as the “founder societies”. However, in the later 19^th and early 20^th century new were formed due to “discontent with the particular balance between business and professionalism of the parent societies”. The newer societies were “shaped by the nature of the field of technology that its members pursued”. Layton then looks at the degree of influence the professionals and businessmen are needed for a successful engineering society and its impact on society policy.

In Noble, engineering is defined as technology and capitalism. He discusses how the money always influence and is always involved in engineering. In addition, Noble writes about how engineering profession changes depending on the need of the society, “…and as the business aspects of engineering changed with the expansion of industrial enterprises, so too did the nature of engineering professionalism”. Furthermore, it was found by Wickenden that most engineers in 1884 to 1924 progressed onto management role and thus “reflected the unprecedented demand for technically trained managers in modern industry”. According to Noble, engineering is “applied science”. Noble quotes observation made by Edwin Layton, “unlike science,”, “technology cannot exist of its own sake”. With only the large corporations having the capital to “practice engineering”, engineers were “compelled to enter the employ of industry”. Therefore the discussion focused on “adapting graduates to industry,” changing the schools to meet the “specifications of industry”, and preparing the engineering graduates for “business leadership”.

As ASCE formed in 1852, the mechanical society struggled to define professional autonomy, standards of ethics and social responsibility within a context of professional practice. Similarly, in 1880, despite the formation of ASME, mechanical engineers had difficulty in defining their profession, as their roles consisted of, “primarily short-trained industrialists”, “corporation executives”, and “shop managers” and “school-trained corporate employees on the other”. As for the electrical and chemical engineers, since they had no traditional cultures to contend with, their professionalism was defined by the “position within the corporate hierarchy” and “scientific training”.

The article by Noble shows that engineering profession evolved based on the needs of the industry. Much of the article discusses on the close relationship/cooperation between industry and educational institutions and that engineers need to be trained to be successful in a large company. As for the Layton, engineering profession has been defined by the requirement of membership, which impact who is and is not included in the engineering society.