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By 1921 the American sociologist Thorstein Veblen in his book The Engi-neers and the Price System argued for a technocracy in which the welfare of humanity would be entrusted to the control of the engineers because they alone were competent to understand the complexities of the industrial system and processes and thereby optimize and maximize its output. This chapter sets out to explore the extent to which Veblen's technocratic leadership thesis has come to pass. We first review the role of the engineer in society and in the context of Europe, the US and China, and examine the influence of the engineering profession on the management and economic welfare of nations. Second we review trends in engineering education and formation in Europe, China and the US, and the substantive developmental role of the Grand Écoles in 18th-century France. A comparison is made between the economies of Ireland and China, in the context of their recent economic performance. Third a review of commentary on the interconnectedness of world economies and shift in economic power from nineteenth century United King-dom market dominance to twentieth century United States supremacy and to present day emergence of China as the world's second largest and fastest growing economy, is made in the context of the role of engineering leadership. We finally ponder whether a hybrid political environment, with blending of meritocracy with technocratic leadership and moderated by non-engineering influences, might be a recipe for sustained economic success of nations.

This paper shows how the connections between engineering and warfare/militarism are closer than is usually recognized. It investigates the nature of that relationship using theoretical perspectives from critical theory and social constructionism. We draw on historical research into the influence of military institutions and interests on the field of engineering, but also look broadly at cultures of warfare that extend beyond formalized military institutions. Focusing on engineering labor and engineering epistemologies, we suggest that engineering today can be understood as a "war-built" discipline—even when practiced apart from military institutions and projects. We put forward "social justice" as an idealized alternative foundation for engineering. In addition to serving as a corrective to the inordinate influence of militarism on engineering, a social-justice-based approach could also sensitize engineers and others to the pervasive role of social context in shaping both what engineers do and how that is understood to serve broad public interests.

chapter 1. Introduction -- chapter 2. Time value of money, interest, and cash flow diagrams -- chapter 3. Present worth, future worth, and unknown interest rates -- chapter 4. Annuities : uniform series -- chapter 5. Arithmetic and geometric gradients -- chapter 6. Multiple factors in engineering economic problems -- chapter 7. Present worth capitalized cost analysis : present worth method of comparing alternatives -- chapter 8. Equivalent uniform annual worth comparison method -- chapter 9. Rate of return method for comparing alternatives -- chapter 10. Replacement analysis -- chapter 11. Breakeven analysis comparisons -- chapter 12. Benefit/cost ratio economic evaluations -- chapter 13. Depreciation -- chapter 14. Taxes and after-tax economic analysis.

American businesses spent billions of dollars on various re‐engineering initiatives in the last decade. Re‐engineering efforts have produced a wide range of results. While some companies labeled re‐engineering efforts as successful, it was an unfulfilled promise for many. As we enter into the digital age, information technology is playing a principal role in bringing process improvement to the forefront of business management consciousness. This rebirth of re‐engineering, called "X‐engineering," is the process of redesigning work between a company and its customers, suppliers and partners. This paper argues that those aspiring to do business process redesign must begin to apply the capabilities of the Internet and its related technologies. As with re‐engineering, companies have no choice but to X‐engineer. How can you increase the odds for success? Here are a few lessons from the front.

I want to talk about emotions. Well, I don't really want to. Frankly, not having to deal with emotions was one of the attributes of engineering that attracted me to this field of study. I liked keeping interactions on an intellectual level. Answers to Math and Physics homework sets were cut and dried and the odd numbered ones could be found in the back of the book. There was security in knowing the right answer. However, despite the promise of clarity, even as an engineer, I found questions finding their way in, or their way out, questions that were rooted in my emotional landscape. Is this all there is? What do I want my life to be about? How am I making the world a better place by the work that I do? These weren't academic questions for me; they were soul searching questions that challenged the core of my identity. Could I be an engineer and be whole, whatever that might mean? I'm proud of the work I have done to become an engineer, but there is something missing.