Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
For instance, the four corporations discussed in Sect.
8.8.2
all failed to establish
operations in Wroclaw and had to move out.
Like those of their WPR predecessors with whom they have a lot in common, the
actions of these corporations were again unethical in terms of many of the theories
of ethics. With regard to deontological ethics, there is little of innate virtue or laud-
able intentions in actions based on making a profit while undermining local techni-
cal capacity. In terms of utilitarianism, the lose-lose nature of the consequences of
these actions has already been mentioned. With regard to virtue ethics, undermining
local technical capacity and engaging in serious harassment hardly build good char-
acter. In terms of rights ethics, the fundamental moral rights of the pioneers to work
in the ICT and automation domain and the country to benefit from their expertise
were undermined. With regard to the ethics of care, they had no interest in preserv-
ing relationships, including those between pioneers and the country. With regard to
normative ethics, their actions were counter to the principles of justice, for instance,
for the ICT pioneers and beneficence, for instance, to the people of Poland who
were deprived of the benefits of these pioneers' expertise.
8.4
The ENES Company
ENES was established by two designers from Elam, an enterprise involved in auto-
mation systems, which separated earlier from Elwro. Elam's early experiences were
rather difficult since its only capital was the knowledge and experience of its found-
ers. A lack of premises meant that they had to develop their designs in their not very
large flats. However, their belief in their own expertise as automation system design-
ers helped them to survive the difficult initial years, and now their reference list
includes several hundred computer control systems, which have been implemented
in working media control applications, anti-burglary and staff monitoring systems,
industrial boilers, waste and wastewater treatment as well as power-generating
units.
It is interesting that this very small company with minimal resources succeeded
while the large corporations failed. The large corporations sometimes blamed their
failure on the recession at that time, but it is strange that the recession did not affect
ENES in the same way. A better explanation for the success of ENES and the failure
of the large corporations is their different approaches to the technology transfer
process. The designers of ENES used experienced local staff whenever possible for
design and programming work, though they imported any necessary equipment,
particularly high-tech equipment. The local staff were best able to implement new
technologies in Poland due to their experience of local conditions and the expecta-
tions and requirements of end users. This enabled them to customise and/or develop
the hardware and software structures required in an efficient and low-cost way. This
approach was both successful and ethical. It was motivated by the desire to use and
develop local capacity and had positive consequences.
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