This paper addresses the current management problems associated with the architect‐engineering‐construction industry. It makes the assertion that the current fads of total quality management (TQM), alternate dispute resolution (ADR), partnering, and some of the older concepts of management by objective, exception, etc., skirt the problems facing the industry. The concepts of TQM, ADR, and partnering all make oblique approaches to apply W. Edward Deming's management fundamentals and leadership to the construction team and provide the solution necessary for competitive productivity in the construction industry. They are a move toward Deming's management approach that provided the road map for Japan to win the battle of competitive productivity. His 14 points with strong leadership in modifying the way the construction industry does business in the United States are proposed as an approach for the right solution. Arguments are presented why direct adoption of Deming's approach cannot work in the present culture of the construction industry.

At present, entry‐level engineering education loosely attempts to serve three groups, professional practitioners, research engineers, and other professionals or job holders who simply want technological literacy. A bachelor's degree in engineering now serves as the first degree for each group. Based on a model developed by C.E.G. Przirembel in 1991, the development of separate degree programs for the three groups is proposed, retaining a common core in the first three years of college education. Those seeking careers in engineering research would pursue a five‐ or six‐year ABET‐accredited MS in engineering. Those seeking only a technical job, or a technical foundation for a career a law, medicine, business, etc., could leave the engineering school with a nonaccredited four‐year bachelor's of engineering science degree. Preserving these two paths, which already exist, opens the door for the third group, which is not adequately served at present. Those seeking careers in professional practice would pursue a five‐ or six‐year ABET‐accredited master of engineering degree—at last, a true “first professional” degree.

Canada's Green Plan is one of the most comprehensive national environmental strategies in the industrialized world. Adding $3 billion (Canadian) over six years to the $1.3 billion Canada's federal government already spends annually on environmental protection, the Green Plan is designed to clean up polluted sites, prevent future pollution, and build national and international partnerships to confront the world's environmental problems. This strategy is based on sustainable development, the concept of meeting the needs of the present without compromising the hopes of the future. The Green Plan incorporates the principles of sustainable development into decision making at every level of the Canadian government. By making environmental information accessible to the public, the Green Plan is also intended to influence decisions made by all Canadians. The Green Plan challenges Canada's 27,290,000 citizens and their neighbors across the border and around the world to take responsibility for how their actions affect the global environment.

Directions for enhancing graduate education in environmental engineering to meet the challenges of the future must consider: (1) Education for versatility and perspective; (2) programmatic issues on research and graduate education; (3) relations between the environmental industry and graduate education; (4) a philosophy of graduate education; and (5) the role of the citizen engineer. Versatility and perspective requires expansion in the scope of graduate programs, and is dependent in part on enhancing undergraduate environmental engineering education. Relying on research grants for funding master's study is an inefficient use of resources; traineeships awarded on a competitive basis are needed. Undergraduate majors in the sciences are entering the profession and require exposure to engineering through the combination of relevant science, selected makeup, and graduate‐level courses. There is opportunity to take advantage of public interest in environmental issues to recruit minority graduate students. Environmental engineering education and the profession will benefit from improved communication and productive partnerships. Faculty may become more effective educators by recognizing the learning styles among students of different backgrounds, and by appreciating the progression in cognitive development during graduate education. We must educate environmental engineers in their responsibilities to help formulate and implement environmental policy.

Infrastructure deficiencies increase the problems of minorities in ghettos. The advantages of infrastructure rehabilitation are obvious. Examples and guidelines concerning successful rehabilitation should be studied. Rehabilitation of infrastructure on sites that have been leapfrogged and passed over can be more economical and face less resistance than the construction of new public improvements and services in newly developed areas. In addition to the analysis provided, more research concerning infill sites should be undertaken. The financing problems of needed infrastructure are due in large part to our governmental deficits, bad loans by saving and loans, speculation in takeovers leveraged beyond junk bond excess, and other wasteful economic practices. There is a need to educate Americans concerning the beneficial payoffs that can be yielded by intelligent infrastructure planning and implementation. Without such planning and implementation, current economic trends in the United States will persist. This will mean that the average American's standard of living will continue to suffer. People in our older cities are especially vulnerable because the financing of infrastructure through local property taxes has been impaired by population and employment losses. One hopes that infrastructure financing for new and old American communities will be more available because of military expenditure reductions and other savings.

Universities continue to hire construction faculty that have inadequate or no construction experience. This is illogical considering that construction is a practical science and practical experience impacts the quality of construction education. This paper interprets professional codes of ethics and deduces the ethical impact of inadequate practical construction experience. The reasoning of classical philosophers is presented regarding the virtues of experience and its effect on intellectual virtues such as deliberation and judgment. Some special characteristics of construction experience are given, and the link between experience, leadership, and decision‐support systems is brought out in the construction context. Finally, a minimum level of construction experience is prescribed for faculty based on the conscience of responsibility and professional development. It is argued that this minimum level of experience should be a criteria for the admission of doctoral students. The role of the university and construction departments is pivotal in this regard.

Hong Kong is situated on the south coast of China and is the main trading port with that country. During 1991 a total 255,300 ships called at Hong Kong which is one of the world's busiest ports. Rapid expansion of air traffic required a new airport, which is being built on an island. When fully completed, it will be capable of handling 80,000,000 passengers and 44 million tons of air cargo annually. Housing has also been a construction priority. A Christmas night fire in 1953 left 53,000 people homeless, and the government promptly launched a program that now houses almost 3,000,000 people, or half Hong Kong's population. The rapid economic expansion and population growth required solutions to many issues that resulted in new planning concepts. The writer is an engineer who has worked for the Hong Kong government on several major projects, including bridges, tunnels, land reclamation, airports, and other infrastructure work.

The writers visited Ecuador under the auspices of the Fulbright Program, administered by the Council for the International Exchange of Scholars, to lecture and advise several public and private universities on procedures to modernize curricula in civil engineering. Five visits were made over a 10 year period for time intervals ranging between one and six months. Based on interviews with a number of individuals and general observations, a number of recommendations were made. These recommendations ranged from improving the quality of students entering the university to improving library and laboratory facilities to improving faculty quality. The prime driving force toward implementing these recommendations will be the availability of adequate economic resources.