ENGINEERING

MANAGEMENT
PART I
THE FIELDS OF ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT
Engineers are expected to perform a variety of tasks depending
on their specialization and job level.
The following are various tools, equipments and projects
developed by engineers.
The stone bladed axe and the irrigation system used to
promote crop growing.
The pyramids of Egypt.
Road building by the Romans.
The production of paper and gunpowder by the Chinese.
The production of stream engine and the spinning and
weaving machinery.
The manufacture of cars and household appliances.
Engineers are currently producing solutions to many of
the difficulties faced by mankind. Their outputs, new or
improvement of old ones, are very much needed in the
following specific problems concerns:
The production of more food for a fast growing world
population;
The elimination of air and water pollution;
Solid waste disposal and materials recycling;
The reduction of noise in various forms;
Supplying the increasing demand for energy;
Supplying the increasing demand for mobility;
Do venting and solving crimes; and
Meeting the increasing demand for communication
facilities.
FUNCTIONS OF THE ENGINEER:
 Research
 Design and Development

 Testing
 Manufacturing

 Construction
 Sales
 Consulting

 Government
 Teaching

 Management
DEFINITION
Engineering Management refers
to the activity of combining
“technical knowledge with ability
to organize and coordinate worker
power, materials, machinery and
money.”
MANAGEMENT SKILLS REQUIRED AT
VARIOUS LEVELS
LEVEL ONE – those with minimal engineering jobs.
LEVEL TWO – those with a moderate of engineering
jobs.
LEVEL 3 – those with a high degree of engineering
jobs.
DEFINITION:
MANAGEMENT may be defined as
the “creative problem solving –
process of planning, organizing,
leading and controlling an
organization’s resources to achieve
its mission and objectives.
THE PROCESS OF MANAGEMENT
1. Management must seeks to find out the objectives of
the organization;
2. Think of ways on how to achieved the objectives of
the organization;
3. Decide on the ways to be adapted and the material
resources to be used;
4. Determine the human requirements of the total job;
5. Assign specific tasks to specific persons;
6. Motivate them;
7. Provide means to make sure that the activities are in
the right distinction.
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ENGINEER
MANAGER’S JOB
Qualifications that the engineer manager must have:
1. A bachelor’s degree in engineering from a
reputable school; in some cases, a master’s degree
in engineering is required;
2. Appropriate license for the practice of the
profession;
3. A few years experience in a pure engineering job;
4. Training in supervision;
5. Special training in engineering management.
HOW ONE MAY BECOME A SUCCESSFUL
ENGINEER MANAGER
According to Kreitner (1992), there are
various factors leading to successful
management and at least three general
preconditions for achieving lasting success
as a manager:
1. Ability
2. Motivation to manage
3. Opportunity
Managerial Ability
refers to the capacity of an
engineer manager to achieve
organizational objectives
effectively and efficiently.
Motivation to manage
A management researcher, John B. Miner, develop a
psychometric instrument to measure objectively an
individual’s motivation to manage. The test is anchored to
the following dimensions:
1. Favorable attitude toward those in positions of authority.
2. Desire to engage in games or sports competition with peers.
3. Desire to engage in occupational or work – related
competition with peers.
4. Desire to assert oneself and take charge.
5. Desire to exercise power and authority over others.
6. Desire to behave in a distinctive way.
7. Sense of responsibility in carrying out the routine duties
associated with managerial work.
Opportunity
Successful manager become possible only if
those having the ability and motivation are
given the opportunity to manage. The
opportunity for successful management has
two requirements:
1. Obtaining a suitable managerial job;
2. Finding a supportive climate once on the
job.
DECISION – MAKING
WHAT IS DECISION – MAKING?
Decision – making may be defined as the
process of identifying and choosing
alternative courses of action in a manner
appropriate to the demands of the situation.

According to Nickels (1987), decision–

making “is the heart of all the management
functions”.
Rational decision–making process involves the following steps: (Holt, D.H.
1987)
APPROACHES IN SOLVING
PROBLEMS
1. QUALITATIVE EVALUATION
This term refers to evaluation of alternatives using
intuition and subjective judgment. Managers tend to
use the qualitative approach when:
a. The problem is fairly simple.
b. The problem is familiar.
c. The costs involved are not great.
d. Immediate decisions are needed.
2. QUANTITATIVE EVALUATION
This term refers to the evaluation of alternative using any
technique in a group classified as rational and analytical.
The types of quantitative techniques which may be useful in
decision – making are as a follows:
a. Inventory Models
b. Queuing Theory
c. Network Models
d. Forecasting
e. Regression Analysis
f. Simulation
g. Linear Programming
h. Sampling Theory
i. Statistical Design Theory