Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
and was generally required to be able to both substantially solve the problem and
lead the team effectively. This required understanding of all the domains involved in
the project. In addition, project managers under the WPR system were generally not
very competent and had little interest in technical matters. As members of PoPs,
they were allowed to direct projects without the need for technical or other compe-
tence. Therefore, the leading designer frequently had to take responsibility for a
significant component of project management to ensure problem-free execution of
the project.
Thus, the demands on leading designers were very high and not all of them were
able to meet them. However, those that did became ICT pioneers or leading design-
ers of a pioneering project involving hardware, software, applications, research,
educational or other aspects of ICT and/or automation which was successfully
implemented. These pioneers had a particularly significant role in developing the
domain in Poland, thereby leading it into the twenty-first century. The chapter will
draw on the experiences of some of these pioneers to discuss ethical issues related
to technology transfer and technology change and to provide suggestions as to how
to avoid some of the associated problems.
Ethical issues characteristic of the WPR system are discussed in the first part of
the chapter. In the second part, ethical aspects in the period subsequent to the politi-
cal and economic changes in 1989 are considered. During this later period, develop-
ments in ICT and automation were based mainly on technology transfer. In both
cases, case studies of the experiences of leading designers are used as the basis for
the discussion of these issues.
2
Ethical Issues Pre-1989 in Poland
2.1
General Working Conditions in ICT and Automation
The so-called Cold War between the 'communist' and 'capitalist' countries had a
significant impact on working conditions in ICT and automation in Poland in the
second part of the twentieth century. In particular, several capitalist countries estab-
lished formal and informal embargoes on hardware and software and detailed scien-
tific and technical information, respectively. These embargoes were unethical, as
they hindered the legitimate development of civilian industry. However, they had a
minimal effect on the Soviet Union's military capacity, since, for instance, the Red
Army was able to obtain the world's best electronics for its fighters and missiles,
while civilian employees were not able to obtain good computers. It has been sug-
gested that the Red Army received electronics from a country that was concerned
about ensuring non-interference by the Soviet Union. It is possible that the embar-
goes were a component of economic warfare against the COMECON countries.
Consequently, although similar systems were readily available in the West,
Polish pioneers had to develop complete solutions from scratch. Paradoxically, the
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