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World competition is increasing the velocity and complexity of change, making change more difficult to manage. As a result, effective management of technology change will become even more critical to a company's success than it is now. Change has pushed technology beyond traditional practices and descriptions so that today it includes: Improved responsiveness to customers, more emphasis on team work, reduced time to market, expanded information networks, integration of R & D, product and process development, and flexible manufacturing. A company that can organize and, even more important, manage the complexity of technology change certainly will emerge as a leader in their industry.

The concept of Design Engineers having “Constituents” and the framework for responding to those constituents through the design phase of machinery is developed. A liberal arts complement to the Engineering profession and the complications brought on by time and change are examined. The characteristics of a rational approach involving leadership, diversity, and self-doubt are explored. Author concludes that the Design Engineer must remain an entrepreneurial person.

No question but that sharp technical skills and knowledge, kept current by continuing renewal and life-long learning, are basic to success in an engineering career. But no single individual, no matter how brilliant or innovative, brings a concept to fruition without the close understanding, cooperation and support of scores and perhaps even hundreds of people. Engineering school curricula are crammed full of math, science and engineering courses, and little, if any, part of the program devotes itself to dealing with interpersonal relationships. Yet in the final analysis, it is the ability to get along with others that makes the difference between engineers who achieve and those who don't. This lecture will address itself to such aspects of human relationships in the engineering workplace with superiors, subordinates, vendors, suppliers, customers and, yes, even with your own family.

The material presented in this paper addresses the following questions of the engineer of the ‘80’s: 1. How can an (earthmoving) engineer be successful in the ‘80’s? 2. Should he isolate himself in his work? 3. Are there special needs in the ‘80’s? 4. What should he do-personally-to succeed and to improve the world in which we live? 5. Can the engineer help solve specific problems facing us now? 6. Can today’s problems-unemployment, inflation, world unrest, competition from new sources around the world, social unrest, energy limitations, pollution, and others, be met directly by the engineer with any success?