REQUIREMENTS FOR THE
ENGINEER MANAGERS JOB
1.
a bachelor's degree in engineering from a
reputable school; In some cases a master's
degree in engineering or business management
is required;
2. a few years experience in pure engineering job;
3. training in supervision;
4. special training in engineering management
What is Engineering?
• The profession in which a knowledge of the
mathematical and natural science gained by study,
experience, and practice is applied with judgement to
develop ways to utilize, economically, the materials and
forces of nature for the benefit of mankind (1979, US.
Engineering societies).
What is an Engineer?
Engineer: A person applying his mathematical
and science knowledge properly for mankind
ENGINEERING: A discipline not an art.
What is Management?
- A set of activities (including planning and decision
making, organizing, leading and control) directed at an
organization's resources (human, financial, physical and
informational) with the aim of achieving organizational
goals in an efficient and effective manner. (Griffin)
What is Engineering Management?
• Direct supervision of engineers and/or the engineering function
Application of quantitative methods and engineering
techniques to the practice of management
• What engineering managers do!
• Management of technical functions
Management of (other) functions in a high-technology enterprise
Engineering Management
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.
Functions of Engineering
Specifically, the functions of engineering encompass the following
areas:
1. Research - where the engineer is engaged in the process of
learning about nature and codifying this knowledge into usable
theories.
2. Design and development - where the engineer undertakes the
activity of turning a product concept to a finished physical items.
Design for manufacturability and value engineering teams (a feature
of some companies) are charged with improvement of designs and
specifications at the research, development, design, and production
stages of product development.
3. Testing - where the engineer works in a unit where new products or
parts are tested for workability.
4. Manufacturing - where the engineer is directly in charge of production personnel or
assumes responsibility for the product.
5. Construction - this is where the construction engineer (civil engineer usually) is
directly in charge of the construction personnel or may have responsibility for the quality
of the construction process.
6. Sales - where the engineer assists the company's customers to meet
their needs, especially those that require technical expertise.
7. Consulting - where the engineer works as consultant of any individual
or organization requiring his services.
8. Government - where the engineer may find employment in the
government performing any of the various tasks in regulating, monitoring,
and controlling the activities of various institutions, public or private.
9. Teaching - where the engineer gets employment in a school and is
assigned as a teacher of engineering courses. Some of them become
deans, vice presidents, and presidents.
10. Management – where the engineer is assigned to mange groups of
people performing specific tasks.
THE FUNCTIONS OF THE ENGINEER
1. the production of more food for a fast growing world population;
2. the elimination of air and water pollution
3. solid waste disposal and materials recycling;
4. the reduction of noise in various forms;
5. supplying the increasing demand for energy;
6. supplying the increasing demand for mobility;
7. preventing and solving crimes; and
8. meeting the increasing demand for communication facilities.
The engineer in various types of organization
Engineering Management
Managers need FOUR types of skills:
1.0 Technical: Specific subject related skills such as engineering,
accounting, etc...
2.0 Interpersonal: Skills related to dealing with others and leading,
motivating, or controlling them
3.0 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.
4.0 Design Skill:
Ability to solve problems in ways that will benefit
the Enterprise.
Engineering Management:
Four Types of Skills
1.0 Technical Skills:
i. Knowledge of and proficiency in activities involving
methods, processes, and procedures.
ii. Involves working with tools and specific techniques.
iii. For example, mechanics work with tools, and their
supervisors should have the ability to teach them
how to use these tools.
2.0 Human Skill:
• Ability to work with people;
• It is cooperative effort;
• It is teamwork;
• It is the creation of an environment in which
people feel secure and free to express their
opinions.
3.0 Conceptual Skill:
*Ability to see the "big picture", to
recognize significant elements in a
situation.
*Understand the relationships among the
elements.
4.0 Design Skill:
• Ability to solve problems in ways that will benefit the enterprise.
To be effective, particularly at upper organizational levels,
managers must be able to do more than see a problem
*They must have the skill of a good design engineer in working
out a practical solution to a problem.
• If managers merely see the problem and become "problem
watchers", they will fail.
* Managers must also have that valuable skill of being able to
design a workable solution to the problem in the light of the
realities they face.
WHAT IS MANAGEMENT?
*Getting things done through people:
*The process of achieving
organizational goals by engaging in
the four major functions of
planning & decision-making,
organizing & staffing,
directing/leading, and controlling
*Identifying a "force" group of people
whose job is to direct the effort and
activities of other people towards a
common organizational objective
FUNCTIONS OF MANAGEMENT
> Planning & Decision-making
* Involves setting goals and
objectives, as well as the actions
to achieve them; it is choosing the
“best” from among alternatives.
> Organizing
* Involves establishing structure of
roles for people to fill in
organization
* The process of allocating and
arranging human and non-human
that plans can be
carried out successfully.
→ Staffing
*Involves filling the positions in the
organization structure:
*Process by which managers select,
train, promotes, and retires
subordinate:
Directing/Leading
* Influencing people so that they will
contribute to organizational and
group goals.
Controlling
* Measuring and correcting individual
and organizational performance to
ensure that events conform to plans
* Facilitates the accomplishment of
plans:
* The process of regulating A
organizational activities so that
actual performance conforms to
expected organizational standards:
Managerial Levels
Strategic Managers - responsible for the
entire organization. Typical titles include
CEO, “President”, “Executive Vice
President”, “Executive Director”, “Senior
Vice President", or "Vice President”.
Tactical Managers - next top levels on the
hierarchy who are directly responsible for
the work of managers at lower levels.
Titles include “Manager”, “Director of”,
“Chief”, “Department Head”, and “Division
Head”.
Operational Managers - the lowest level of
the hierarchy who are directly responsible
for the work of operating (non- managerial)
employees. Often have titles as "Supervisor”.
Managerial Skills
Conceptual
The cognitive ability to see, the
organization as a whole and the
relationships among its parts.
Human Skill
The ability to work with, and
through other people
and to work effectively as a group
member:
Technical Skill
The understanding and proficiency in
the performance of specific tasks.
Characteristics of Excellent Managers
> Good communicator
acquire the skills of listening, speaking,
reading, and writing
> Integrity
“living it myself before leading others"
> Flexible
Multi-tasker, imaginative and innovative
> Gratitude
"give credit where it is due”
Other Management Aspects
Productivity is an index that
measures output (goods and
services) relative to the input
(labor, materials, energy, and
other resources) used to produce
them
Effectiveness means the capability of
producing an effect. (doing the
"right" things)
Efficiency is a measure of how well a
certain aspect is performing. (doing
the things “right”)
Is Management Art or Science?
Definitions according to Webster's
College Dictionary:
Art "skill in conducting any human
activity"
Science - "any skill or technique
that reflects a precise application
of facts or a principle”
Management Styles
Time Servers
> generally older mangers who have lost
interest in their job and environment,
and are marking time until retirement
or moving to another job.
> take all necessary action to avoid
stress, and maintain a low profile
within the company.
> not generally lazy but their low
motivation means that they do the
minimum amount of work needed to
hold down a job
> avoid decisions since they could lead to
mistakes.
> consider themselves to be "father or
mother figures”.
Climbers
> driven by extreme personal ambition and
will sacrifice everything, including self and
family, to get to the top of the
corporate ladder:
> achieve and to be seen to have
achieved, especially by those in a
superior position:
> pursue personal advancement by fair
means or foul. However, they become
demotivated if this does not show quick
results, and this can eventually lead to
stress
Generals
> younger person who exhibits lots of
energy
> likes to rule and manipulate power, is
achievement oriented: power is used
tasks done
> work extremely hard, driving
themselves and those around them.
> sociable and mix well at all levels.
They usually get their way with
peers by overwhelming, although
peers can resent this if it is done
too often
> strong-willed individuals.
Supporters
> maintain, a balanced view about the
world, the organization,
subordinates,
> work through people in achieving their aims•
good at delegation and develop their
subordinates by giving them responsibility:
> Good motivator
> personal technical knowledge is usually
lacking, but this compensated for by the
support they themselves receive from the
specialists within their department.
> good facilitators and are very good in
managing change
> recognize achievement and reward it.
> tend to be loners and do not mix well with peers
Nice Guys
> These managers are usually weakwilled and are more interested in
being liked, by peers and
subordinates, than in achieving
targets
> They do
not criticize their
subordinates, even when they
poor performers, and may in fact
support too much, so unconsciously
retarding their development.
Bosses
> extremely inflexible and are often
mistaken for strong-minded people.
> they are only strong talkers, and hide
behind abusive language:
> terrorize subordinates and peers, creating
conflict to emphasize their own power:
> In the short-term, they can show results,
but in long-term they are very
destructive, causing more harm than good.
> insecure in themselves and get security by
humiliating others in public.
> They advance by pointing out the
mistakes of others, and not by their own
achievements