ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT ✓ LEVEL ONE – those with minimal

engineering jobs like retailing firms.

THE FIELD OF ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT ✓ LEVEL TWO – those with a moderate
degree of engineering jobs like
THE FUNCTIONS OF THE ENGINEER transportation companies.
- Since the start of human civilization, there were ✓ LEVEL THREE – those with a high degree
engineers that built tools, equipment and of engineering jobs like constructing
infrastructures. Among these are the following: firms
✓ The stone bladed axe which was a very
useful tool; and the irrigation system
used to promote crop growing (6000 to
3000 B.C.)
✓ The pyramids of Egypt (3000 to 600 B.C)
✓ Road building by the Romans (600 B.C.;
to A.D. 400)
✓ the production of paper and
gunpowder by the Chinese (100 A.D to
1600 A.D)
✓ the production of steam engine and
the spinning and weaving machinery
(1601 A.D. to 1799 A.D.)
✓ the manufacture of cars and household
appliances (modern times)

ENGINEERING ENCOMPASSES THE FOLLOWING AREAS: MANAGEMENT SKILLS REQUIRED AT VARIOUS LEVELS
• RESEARCH – where the engineer studies a • Level one firms do not actually provide
subject and from it, he develops theories managerial position but there are few firms that
significant to progress. have a small engineering unit that may require
• DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT – where the an engineer manager.
engineer materialize a concept and looks for an • In level two firms, the engineer may be assigned
opportunity to innovate. to head the engineering division. Management
• TESTING – where the engineer works in a unit skills are quite needed by now.
where new products or parts are tested for • The chance to become the president or general
workability. manager is highest in level three firms. The
• MANUFACTURING – where the engineer is engineer manager should have sufficient
responsible for the quality of the production. management skills to be effective in this case.
• CONSTRUCTION – where the engineer is
responsible for the quality of the construction. ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT - refers to the activity
• SALES – where the engineer assists the combining “technical knowledge with the ability to
company’s customers to meet their needs, organize and coordinate worker power, materials,
especially those require technical expertise. machinery and money.”
• CONSULTING – where the engineer works as
consultant of any individual or organization
requiring his services.
• GOVERNMENT – where the engineer gets the
authority to regulate, monitor and control the
activities of different organizations under the
care of the government.
• TEACHING – where the engineer gets the
authority to teach engineering courses. Some of
them later become deans, vice presidents, and
presidents.
• MANAGEMENT – where the engineer is assigned
to manage groups of people performing
specific tasks.
MANAGEMENT - may be defined as the “creative
problems solving–process of planning, organizing,
TYPES OF ORGANIZATION AND THE MANAGEMENT SKILLS
leading and controlling an organization’s resources to
REQUIRED OF ENGINEERS
achieve its mission and objectives”.
• Medina classified organizations according to
the degree of engineering jobs performed:
THE PROCESS OF MANAGEMENT ✓ Desire to engage in games or sport
- Management is a process consisting of competition with peers.
planning, organizing (scheduling and reporting), ✓ Desire to engage in occupational or
directing (or leading) and controlling. work-related competition with peers.
✓ Desire to assert oneself and take
charge.
✓ Desire to exercise power and authority
over others.
✓ Desire to behave in a distinctive way,
which includes standing out from the
crowd.
✓ Sense of responsibility in carrying out the
routine duties associated with
managerial work.
• High scores in the foregoing dimensions are
associated with high motivation to manage.

OPPORTUNITY
• Successful managers become possible only if
those having the ability and motivation are
given the opportunity to manage. The
opportunity for successful management has two
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ENGINEER MANAGER’S JOB
requirements:
• A bachelor’s degree in engineering from a
✓ Obtaining a suitable managerial job,
reputable school; In some cases, a master’s
and
degree in engineering or business management
✓ Finding a supportive climate once on
is required.
the job.
• a few years of experience in a pure engineering
• Engineer managers are in demand, but
job.
advertisements provide little to no information if
• training in supervision.
the companies provide a supportive climate for
• special training in engineering management.
quality management.
• Acknowledging managerial aptitude through
HOW ONE MAY BECOME A SUCCESSFUL ENGINEER
monetary and non-monetary incentives is the
MANAGER
feature of a supportive climate.
• To be efficient, it is crucial for the engineer
manager to be informed of the factors
DECISION MAKING
necessary to achieve successful management.
• Kreitner indicates at least three general
DECISION-MAKING AS A MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITY
preconditions for achieving lasting success as a
• Decision-making is a responsibility of the
manager. They are as follows:
engineer manager. Mistakes are inevitable but
✓ ability
a wise manager will fix them immediately upon
✓ motivation to manage
identification.
✓ opportunity
• Errors must be minimized because possessing
the authority to choose gives the manager the
ABILITY
responsibility of the outcome. Higher level of
• Managerial ability refers to the capacity of an
management means more intricate decision-
engineer manager to achieved organizational
making.
objectives effectively and efficiently.
• Effectiveness, according to Higgins, refers to a
WHAT IS DECISION-MAKING?
description of “whether objectives are
- Decision-making may be defined as “the
accomplished”, while efficiency is a description
process of identifying and choosing alternative
of the relative amount of resources used in
courses of action in a manner appropriate to
obtaining effectiveness.
the demands of the situation” (Delaney, 1982, as
cited in Medina, 1999).
MOTIVATION TO MANAGE
- This declares that a systematic way of choosing
• Many are willing to carry out the task given
the most appropriate option must be followed
to them, but few are ready to lead.
to deal with a problem effectively.
✓ Favorable attitude toward those in
- Decisions are made at various management
positions of authority, such as superiors.
levels (i.e., top, middle and lower levels) and at
various management functions (i.e., planning,
 organizing, directing, and controlling). Decision- Appropriate evaluation is paramount to
making, according to Nickels and other, “is the devising the right decision.
heart of all the management functions”. • The method of evaluation rests on the objective
of the firm and nature of the problem and its
THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS alternatives.
- Rational decision-making, according to David • Souder suggests that “each alternative must be
H. Holt, is a process involving the following steps: analyzed and evaluated in terms of its value,
✓ Diagnose problem cost, and risk characteristics”.
✓ Analyze environment
✓ Articulate problem or opportunity MAKE A CHOICE
✓ Develop viable alternatives • Choice-making refers to the process of selecting
✓ Evaluate alternatives among alternatives representing potential
✓ Make a choice solutions to a problem.
✓ Implement decision • At this point, Webber advises that “… particular
✓ Evaluate and adapt decision (1987, as effort should be made to identify all significant
cited in Medina, 1999) consequences of each choice.”
• To simplify the selection process, the alternatives
DIAGNOSE PROBLEM can be ranked according to a specific factor
• To make an intelligent decision, the manager (e.g. benefit, cost, risk).
should first identify the problem. It will be difficult
to advance if the manager fails in this part. An IMPLEMENT DECISION
expert once said, “identification of the problem • Implementation simply denotes action to
is tantamount to having the problem half- achieve the desired objective; and for it to be
solved.” effective, a plan must be formulated.
• To properly implement the decision, the
ANALYZE THE ENVIRONMENT resources must be made accessible. Those who
• The success of an organization largely depends will be necessitated, according to Aldag and
on its environment; therefore, it is crucial to Stearns, “must understand and accept the
examine the setting. solution”.
• The objective of environmental analysis is the
identification of internal and external limitations. EVALUATE AND ADAPT DECISION RESULTS
✓ internal limitations are as follows: • The implemented decision may succeed or not.
a) Limited funds available for the • Due to this, the utilization of control and
purchase of equipment. feedback mechanisms is important to
b) Limited training on the part of guarantee results and to aid future decisions.
employees. • Feedback refers to the process which requires
c) Ill-designed facilities. checking stage of the process to assure that the
✓ external limitations are as follows: alternatives generated, the criteria used in
a) Patents are controlled by other evaluation, and the solution selected for
organizations implementation are in keeping with the goals
b) A very limited market for the and objectives.
company’s products and
services exists.
c) Strict enforcement of local
zoning regulations.

DEVELOP VIABLE ALTERNATIVES

• Problems can be usually solved by any of the
possible solutions, but the best must be chosen.
This is made possible by using a procedure with
the following steps:
✓ Prepare a list of alternative solutions.
✓ Determine the viability of each solution.
✓ Revise the list by striking out those which
are not viable.

EVALUATE ALTERNATIVES
• After viability inspection and list revision is the
evaluation of the remaining alternatives.