ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

INTRODUCTION TO ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

TextbookManaging Engineering and Technology, 3rd Edition

Daniel L.Babcock and Lucy C.Morse

RPP04

Course Outline

Understanding

• Principles of Engineering Management• Engineering Organizations• Management challenges for engineers

Learning

• The importance of management to engineers• Forms and functions of organizations

What is an Engineering?

Design for customer requirements

Solve technical problems

Application of science/principles to solve problems within constraints

Trade-offs between safety, economy, performance, serviceability

Efficient application of resources

What is an Engineering?

• ENGINEERING IS THE APPLICATION OF SCIENCE FOR HUMAN BENEFIT

• ENGINEERING = PROBLEM SOLVING

SCOPE OF ENGINEERING

If Engineering = Problem Solving

• Does this mean any problem?

• or only problems dealing with a technology component

•If it’s green, it’s BIOLOGY

•If it stinks, it’s CHEMISTRY

•If it doesn’t work, it’s PHYSICS

•If it works but no one knows why,

it’s ENGINEERING

The scientist explains that which exists;

The engineer creates that which never was.

Theodore von Karman

What is an Engineer?

• Ingenieur: from old French “engeigneur” - a war machine

• All of these words derive from the Latin “genius” meaning A divine spirit presiding at birth A talent, natural gift

• To contrive or plan out usually with more or less subtle skill or craft; to guide the course of: manage or supervise during development

The first issue (1866) of the English

Journal Engineering

The art of directing the great sources of power

in nature, for the use and convenience of man.

Is it an art or profession?

Modern Definition of Engineering

By ABET (Accrediting Board for

Engineering and Technology)

The profession in which a knowledge of the mathematical and natural

sciences gained by study, experience, and practice is applied with

judgement to develop ways to utilize, economically, the materials and

forces of the nature for the benefit of mankind.

Engineer: A person applying his mathematical and science

knowledge properly for mankind

It is a discipline not an art!

Engineering – includes the application of these

mathematical and scientific principles to the planning,

design, construction, operation, and maintenance of

products, systems etc. that serve humankind; -

Engineering – includes the management of such activities,

research and development, and the education of persons

who will be responsible for these activities.

What is Management?

• Directing the actions of a group to achieve a goal in

most efficient manner

• Getting things done through people

• Process of achieving organizational goals by working

with and through people and organizational resources

Top-level management

(president, executive vice president)

Middle managers

(chief engineer, division head etc.)

First-line managers

(foreman, supervisor, section chief)

Level Type of Job

First-line Managers

Directly supervise non-managers.

Carry out the plans and objectives of higher management using

the personnel and other resources assigned to them.

Short-range operating plans governing what will be done

tomorrow or next week, assign tasks to their workers, supervise

the work that is done, and evaluate the performance of individual

workers.

Middle Management

Manage through other managers.

Make plans of intermediate range to achieve the long-range goals

set by top management, establish departmental policies, and

evaluate the performance of subordinate work units and their

managers.

Provide and integrating and coordinating function so that the

short-range decisions and activities of first-line supervisory

groups can be orchestrated toward achievement of the long-range

goals of the enterprise.

Top Management

Responsible for defining the character, mission, and objectives of

the enterprise.

Establish criteria for and review long-range plans.

Evaluate the performance of major departments, and they evaluate

leading management personnel to gauge their readiness for

promotion to key executive positions.

Managerial Skills:

Managers need three types of skills:

Technical: Specific subject related skills such as engineering,accounting, etc…

Interpersonal: Skills related to dealing with others and leading, motivating, or controlling them

Conceptual: Ability to discern the critical factors that will determine as organization’s success or failure. Ability to see the forest in spite of the trees.

Lowest Middle Top

Managerial Level

..more technical skills, less salary???

Managerial Roles (What Managers Do)

• Interpersonal roles

• Informational Roles

• Decisional Roles

• Interpersonal roles

Figurehead role: Outward relationship

Leader role: Downward relation

Liaison role: Horizontal relation

Managerial Roles (What Managers Do)

Outward

Horizontal

Downward

• Informational Roles

Monitor Role: Collects information about internal

operations and external events.

Disseminator Role: Transforms information

internally to everybody in organization (like a

telephone switchboard)

Spokesman Role: Public relations

Managerial Roles (What Managers Do)

• Decisional Roles

Entrepreneurial Role: Initiates changes, assumes

risks, transforms ideas into useful products.

Disturbance Handler Role: Deals with unforeseen

problems and crisis.

Resource Allocator Role: Distributing resources

Negotiator Role: Bargains with suppliers, customers

etc. in favor of enterprise

Managerial Roles (What Managers Do)

Planning: Selecting missions and objectives.

Requires decision making.

Organizing: Establishing the structure for the

objective.

Staffing: Keeping filled the organization structure

Leading: Influencing people to achieve the objective

Controlling: Measuring and correcting the activities

Functions of Managers

Management has a body of specialized knowledge.

This knowledge need not to be obtained in formal

disciplined programs.

Management: Is it an art or science?

Engineering Management (Discipline+art)

Somewhere between art and science.

Management

Management can be classified into one of four categories:

An organizational or administrative process

A science, discipline, or art

The group of people running an organization

An occupational career

What is Engineering Management?

Narrow definition: Directing supervision of

engineers or of engineering functions.

Proper Definition of Engineering Manager:

Engineer possessing both abilities to apply

engineering principles and skills in organizing and

directing people and projects.

Why Engineering Managers?

Competition is global and companies need these people

to compete successfully

Why Engineering Managers?

Engineering manager uniquely qualified for two types of jobs:

The management of technical functions (design or production)in almost any enterprise

Management of broader functions (marketing or topmanagement) in a high-technology enterprise

Engineering manager has great capability towards planning, resolving

the uncertainties, evaluate risks and motivate technical personnel.

Advantages of Understanding Technology in Top

Management

• Really understanding the business

• Understanding technology driving the business

today and technology that will change the business

in future

Advantages of Understanding Technology in Top

Management (2)

•Treating Research and Development as investment

not an expense to be minimized

• Spending more time on strategic thinking

• Dedicating a customer’s problem (true marketing

via customer relations)

• Place a premium on innovation

The first rule of any technology used in a business is that automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency. The second is that automation applied to an inefficient operation will

magnify the inefficiency…BILL GATES

Management challenges for engineers

The expectations…

They (engineers) are logical, methodical, objective, and make unemotional decisions based on facts.

Use technical knowledge to check validity of information

Analyze problems thoroughly and explore the best solution

They understand what motivate engineers

Review and evaluate the work of their subordinates because they understand what they are doing

Engage in future planning with appropriate consideration for technology and its relationship to cost effectiveness

Understand both the technology that is driving the business today and the technology that will change the business in future

Treat research and development as an investment to be nurtured, rather than an expense to be minimized

The engineering background increases the manager’s capability with subordinates, customers and superiors. People attribute qualities, abilities, skills, and knowledge to them, which allows the manager to influence those who have that perception.

Engineering backgrounds help in technical communication

To be GREAT…THINK GREAT

Critical Thinking #1

Which one is the best??

The engineering manager with

business skills or the business

manager with the technical skills???

THANK YOU