Engineering Management

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WEEK 01: MANAGEMENT: INTRODUCTION

Sections: Management | Functions | Roles

Management

Definition. Management, as defined by Frederick Harbison and Charles Myers, Management in the Industrial World, is (1) an economic resource, (2) a system of authority, and (3) a class or elite.

As viewed by the economist, management is one of the factors of production together with land, labor, and capital. The managerial resources of an organization determine, in large measure, its productivity and profitability.

As viewed by an administration specialist, management is a system of authority. Modern management is a synthesis of the four approaches to authority: authoritarian, paternalistic, constitutional, and democratic and participative approaches.

As viewed by a sociologist, management is a class and status system. Managers become an elite of brains and education. Entrance into this class is based more on education and knowledge instead of on family or political connections.

Engineering Management, therefore is the study of management applied to the engineering profession.

Sections: Management | Functions | Roles

Functions of Management

Different authorities offers different names for the key functions of management. All these functions are closely interrelated. The most describe ones are:
1. Decision-making. The process by which a course of actions consciously chosen from available alternatives for the purpose of achieving a desired result.
2. Organizing. The process by which the structure and allocation of jobs are determined.
3. Staffing. The process by which managers select, train, promote, and retire subordinates.
4. Planning. The process by which a manager anticipates the future and discovers alternative courses of action open to him.
5. Controlling. The process that measures current performance and guides it toward some predetermined goal.
6. Communicating. The process by which ideas are transmitted to others for the purpose of effecting a desired result.
7. Controlling. The process by which actual performance of subordinates is guided toward common goals.

This course is but an introduction to the broad aspects of management and its application to engineering. Due to the short duration of the course, the seven functions have been grouped into four, namely:
1. Planning. This includes, Objectives, Strategy, Forecasting, Competitiveness, Social Responsibility, Corporate Culture and the 7-S Framework.
2. Organizing. This includes Design Theory, Staffing and Training, Structural Relationship, Change Management and Conflict Resolution.
3. Directing which includes Leading, Human Motivation, Power Principles, Decision Making, Risk, Human Relationship and Communicating.
4. Controlling. which includes Standards, Performance Evaluation, Corrective and Punitive Action, and Feedback/Counselling.

Sections: Management | Functions | Roles

Roles of Managers

1. Interpersonal Roles. Dealing with subordinates.
a. Symbol. figurehead.
b. Leader. hires, trains, encourages, fires, renumerates, judges.
c. Liaison. between outside contacts: community, suppliers versus the organization.

2. Informational Roles. Dealing with communications and information.
a. Monitor. gathers information to be well informed.
b. Disseminator. information flow from both external and internal sources.
c. Spokesperson. representative of the organization.

3. Decisional Roles. Dealing with decision-making and problem-solving.
a. Entrepreneur. initiations, innovations, problem discovery, design, that will direct and control change.
b. Disturbance Handler. handles the unexpected: resignation, firing, customer losses, change, conflict.
c. Resource Allocator. scheduling, appropriation of funds, human and material resources.
c. Negotiator. peace keeper, bargainer.