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Management Challenges for engineers

Introduction
Engineering management and leadership
Definitions
Engineering managers
Work of practicing engineers
Engineering managers and leaders
Challenges in the millennium

Management Challenges for engineers


Introduction
Customers need are changing
Competition is becoming global
Technology is advancing
Companies needs effective leaders (business & technology)
Managers are select employees who are entrusted with responsibilities.
communication means to use verbal or written, with or without body
language
taking decisive action
planning
organizing
leading
controlling

Management Challenges for engineers


Managers are select employees who are entrusted with responsibilities.
utilizing resources
people
time
capital
equipment
facilities
technology
business relationships
guiding the behavior of internal teams
projects
task forces
quality circles

Management Challenges for engineers


Managers are select employees who are entrusted with responsibilities.
external partners to achieve company objectives.
customers
suppliers
N/W partners
joint ventures

Management Challenges for engineers


Engineering management and Leadership
Accept leadership roles & responsibilities
Interacting with peer managers in other corporate functions
versed in the use of web based management and tech tools
clear vision
innovative and creative
utilizing emerging technologies.
Making engineers effective technical contributors

Every engineer reports to a supervisor.


Supervisor makes decisions
Exposure to functions, concepts, skills and best practices of engg mgt.
Likely to take account the resources.
Sets project priorities

Management Challenges for engineers


Engineering management and Leadership
Value is said to have been added if the company's profitability is derived from

Increased sales revenues new product features, better customer service, etc.

Reduced cost to do business- improved engineering and manufacturing


productivity, raised operational efficiency, new collaboration among aligned
business partners, simplified product design, better quality control

Management Challenges for engineers


Readying engineers to accept managerial responsibilities
Knowledge is power
They accumulate experience as they systematically correct their own
deficiencies and practice inter personal skills
Decision making
Problem solving
Delegating
Cost accounting
Strategic planning
Project management
Team coordination
Engineering managers must be able to lead
Dynamic market place which is affected by

Sophisticated communication tools


Web based enablers
Flexible supply chains
Business operations of global proportions

Management Challenges for engineers


Readying engineers to accept managerial responsibilities
Web based enablers
Enhance productivity of product design
Project management
Plant operations
Facility maintenance
Innovations
Knowledge management
Marketing and sales
Enterprise resource planning and integration
Procurements
Programs and projects are interdisciplinary and complex
Management practices do change in response to changes in customers needs,
employees attitudes, business modes, technologies, organizational
structures, resources and external business relations.
Managers must be able to lead and manage these changes.

Management Challenges for engineers


Management responsibilities
Management group of a company has the overall responsibility of achieving the
company's objectives and meeting diverse expectations of its stakeholders.
Managers at various levels, from CEO down to first line managers
The stakeholders are groups of people who have a stake in the companys
performance.
These include shareholders, customers, suppliers, employees and the community in
which the company operates.
Shareholders return on investment, dividends and earnings per share and increase
in stock price over time.
Customers quality products, acceptable services and flexibility to accommodate
changing needs, efficient delivery and reasonable prices.
Suppliers financial stability, market share position, quality production,
collaboration efficiency and on time payment.
Employees good working conditions, stable employment, and competitive salary
and benefits
Community environmentally clean, tax contribution, socially responsible,
ethically acceptable reputation, and good corporate citizenship.

Management Challenges for engineers


Type of work
Work is the task performed to add value to the company. There are 3 types of work
Management work plan, organize, lead and control - thinking
Technical work specialized, non management work done by engineering
managers doing
Operating work management and technical work monitoring and
controlling.
Chain of command

Principle of unity of command

Subordinate reporting to a single supervisor

Efficiency

Chain of authority relationships between superiors and subordinates

Accomplishment of a given task with the least amount of effort

Effectiveness

Accomplishment of tasks with efforts that are matching with the value created by these task

Management Challenges for engineers


Strategic and operational (tactical ) decisions
Strategic decisions(managers) which sets the directions for the company
eg. Which new markets to peruse
which new products to develop
operational decisions(technical contributors) ways to implement a specific task
Engineering managers
- engineering training and specific technical knowledge and experience and
accountable for the results
Prerequisites to be an effective engineering manager
needs to be motivated to acquire knowledge and skills
prepare mentally and be determined to diligently practice the principle of
engineering management
Characteristics of an effective engineering manager
rational and organized individual who behaves like a trained professional
with regard to ethics, fairness and honor.

Management Challenges for engineers


Engineering managers
Resources controlled by engineering manager
who is to do specific task
what plant or equipment is to be involved
how much money to be spent
which technology is to be applied
which business relationships and connections to be invoked
Nature of 4 dimensional work

Management Challenges for engineers


Engineering managers
Nature of management decisions
managers(strategic) what should be done - CEO
technical contributors how things to be done
Work of engineering managers
plan , organize, lead and control people, teams, money, technology,
facilities
pay attention to problem solving and conflict resolutions
do not perform technical work but work through people
Eg. related to product development
1. use market surveys and customer feedback
2.secure resources to develop the product concepts
3.manufacture the products
4.offer customer services
Eg2. technology driven
1.invent and develop new technology
2.incorporate inventions and innovations in products

Management Challenges for engineers


Work of practicing engineers (TC)
Do things correctly and upgrade the ways things are done.
Assigned the specific work objectives
Expected to develop the project plan
Summary of the project to be prepared.
Performance is evaluated
Highly technical tasks
Important steps for TC

Demonstrate technical competence and innovative capabilities


Practice people skills
Showing an unfailing reliability
Be proactive
Exhibit readiness for advancement

Management Challenges for engineers


Engineering managers and Leaders
Foundational skills to manage themselves, staff ,teams, projects, technologies and
global issues of importance
Innovate to solve problems and minimize conflicts.
Cost accounting, financial analysis, managerial finance and marketing
management.
Acquisition and incorporation of customer feedback
Discussion on ethics, engineers as leaders, web based management and
engineering enablers and e-transformation
E-transformation ERP, e-market, enhancing customer service through internet
portals, improving logistics through GPS.

Function of engineering management


Planning
Planning is the work done to predetermine a course of action.
Planning defines who will do what, how, where, when and with which resources.
Planning is to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the company by
providing focus and direction.
Planning is made necessary by a rapid change of
A) Technology (web based tools, broadband communications options, mobile access)
B) Environment (globalization, competition, marketplace)
C) Organization (mergers & acquisitions, networks, outsourcing and alliances)

Function of engineering management


Types of Planning
Strategic planning
Operational planning
Strategic planning
Define future activities which are worth doing by the unit/company to assure
that the company applies its resources(skilled manpower, time,
money,
physical resources- equipment, facilities, business relationships) effectively to
achieve its short term and long term goals.
Strategic planning questions
What are the companys mission, vision and value system statements?
What specific goals(profitability, market share, sales, technology leadership
position, global penetration) to accomplish by when, with what
investment and
which technology?
Which new/improved product streams to offer by when(considering product life
cycle)?
What core technologies to maintain, develop, acquire and/or apply?
Which business networks to create?

Function of engineering management


Operational planning
Define tasks/events to be accomplished with the least amount of resources
within the shortest time, to assure that the company applies
its resources
efficiently to achieve its short term and long- term goals.
Operational planning questions.
What is the most efficient way of accomplishing a project/task with known
objectives.
How to link up with three best suppliers in the marketplace for parts needed?
What are the operational guidelines for performing specific work?

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