Scope & Objectives of Engineering Management

Engineering management:

Management of an organization is the process of establishing objectives and goals of the

organization periodically, designing the work system and the organization structure, and

maintaining an environment in which individuals, working together in groups, accomplish their

aims and objectives and goals of the organization effectively and efficiently (Narayana Rao).

(3rd December 2008).

Engineering Management is a specialized form of management that is concerned with the

application of engineering principles to business practice. Engineering management is a career

that brings together the technological problem-solving savvy of engineering and the

organizational, administrative, and planning abilities of management in order to oversee

complex enterprises from conception to completion. A Master of Science in Engineering

Management (MSEM, or MS in Engineering Management) is sometimes compared to a Master

of Business Administration (MBA) for professionals seeking a graduate degree as a qualifying

credential for a career in engineering management.

Example areas of engineering are product development, manufacturing, construction, design

engineering, industrial engineering, technology, production, or any other field that employs

personnel who perform an engineering function.

Successful engineering managers typically require training and experience in business and

engineering. Technically inept managers tend to be deprived of support by their technical team,

and non-commercial managers tend to lack commercial acumen to deliver in a market

economy. Largely, engineering managers manage engineers who are driven by non-

entrepreneurial thinking, and thus require the necessary people skills to coach, mentor and

motivate technical professionals. Engineering professionals joining manufacturing companies

sometimes become engineering managers by default after a period of time. They are required

to learn how to manage once they are on the job, though this is usually an ineffective way to

develop managerial abilities.

Scope of Engineering Management:

The scope and complexity of engineering management responsibilities has changed

dramatically during the past 10 years.

Stiff competition in the marketplace and the need to eliminate the trade and service deficit have

put an emphasis on technology. It is the source of new products and improved productivity in

manufacturing and service delivery. Today's engineer-manager simply must incorporate

technological innovation.

Today's engineer-manager also must satisfy design and safety requirements, manage human

resources to boost productivity, use natural resources efficiently, stay on top of other

environmental concerns and emphasize total quality in operations.

Engineering Management programs typically include instruction in accounting, economics,

finance, project management, systems engineering, mathematical modeling and optimization,

management information systems, quality control & six sigma, operations research, human

resources management, industrial psychology, safety and health.

There are many options for entering into engineering management, albeit that the foundation

requirement is an engineering degree (or other computer science, mathematics or science

degree) and a business degree.

Managerial Science: This field provides a broad overview of management

fundamentals, helping the student build a strong foundation in engineering management

specifically.

Marketing: Students in this course are exposed to the business and retail aspects of

engineering management. They learn how common business practices and

communication skills apply to the engineering field.

Accounting: Finance-oriented students will learn the fundamentals of money

management and the integral accounting processes that keep everyday operations

functioning correctly.

Materials handling and Plant Layout: Students gain firsthand knowledge of the

system that transports and process products during a typical workday, and how each

area of the plant contributes to the overall success of the operation.

Computer Science: Information technology plays an increasingly large role in most

industries today. This course equips the prospective management engineer to utilize IT

appropriately.

Physics and Chemistry: These courses are integral to a proper understanding of how

engineering works and how the theories are applied to daily tasks.

Systems Engineering: This course allows students to study in depth the various

processes and systems that allow the mechanisms of engineering to function daily.

The following functions or departments are natural choices for engineering management.

Research and Development

Design department

Process planning department

Tool Design department

Production departments

Maintenance departments

Utilities departments

Vendor development department

Industrial Engineering department

Information systems departments

Safety Engineering department

Environmental Engineering department

After Sales Service Department in case of manufactured products

Project Construction

Operation of Power Plants

Operation of Telecommunications Facilities

At organizational levels the following are natural choices for Engineering Management.

Engineering companies

Manufacturing companies

Power Plants

Civil Construction Organizations

Telecommunications services

Software companies

Transport companies

Objectives of Engineering Management:

Engineers who have chosen to pursue leadership and management career paths with the tools

and education that will most directly support their success. The goal is to provide engineering

professionals with these foundations and to help them continue lifelong learning while

employed in industry. Further objectives are to teach students about the measurement of

technical, business, and human performance processes required in engineering environments;

to enhance the student's perspective on leadership and management of technology-based

organizations; to develop students' expertise in the management of innovation; to give students

the knowledge and skills to manage projects and processes effectively; to teach students to

identify and balance the risks associated with technology development; to broaden the

engineering manager's perspective on the marketing of technological products and services, the

potential success or failure of an engineering project with respect to financing, and legal issues

that affect technology.

Depending on her educational background and prior work experience, an engineering

management major can usually customize her professional development by selecting specific

courses that complement her career. Engineering management students can increase their

earning potential significantly by focusing on some of these hot specialties:

Crisis, Emergency, and Risk Management:

When engineering management professionals in this sector do their jobs well, citizens hardly

notice. That's because the very best crisis and risk managers use sophisticated computer models

and training scenarios to prevent catastrophes. Government agencies and insurance companies

employ skilled engineering managers to lead teams of researchers to fully understand

weaknesses in construction, civil, and military programs.

Economics, Finance, and Cost Accounting:

It may seem like overkill to hire an engineer to oversee a team of accountants. But a skilled

engineering manager can use his communication skills to motivate his staff members while

relying on his problem-solving skills to find new processes to automate or streamline

procedures.

Engineering and Technology Management:

With the continued growth of the technology sector, many engineers have seized the

opportunity to enhance their management skills to pursue higher paying jobs. At the height of

the tech bubble, businesses were content to hire energetic newcomers. Today's mature tech

companies expect their managers to possess a thorough understanding of best practices for

leadership and staff development.

Environmental and Energy Management:

As oil prices skyrocket and fossil fuels become scarce, utility companies and auto

manufacturers are scrambling to meet the energy needs of future generations. Engineering

management specialists travel the world to deploy innovative new systems that generate power

from wind, water, and other renewable sources. Other engineering managers lead teams that

design efficient cars, computers, and generators, to prevent us from irreversibly damaging the

planet.

Information Security Management:

While previous generations feared the work of international military spies, today's threats

involve industrial espionage. Intellectual property thieves try to steal company secrets, while

hackers attempt to swipe customer identities. Engineering managers lead teams of experts who

keep company data secure by staying many steps ahead of the criminals. Using techniques like

encryption and diversion, engineers contribute to the law enforcement effort by drawing

criminals into the open, where they can be caught and prosecuted.

Knowledge Management:

Many workers in small offices get a handle on a company's trends by hanging around the water

cooler. Today's international conglomerates often employ tens of thousands of workers, spread

out over a few continents. When the water cooler is the size of the Pacific Ocean, engineering

management specialists step in to design systems and processes that keep team members

informed about their projects, no matter what country they happen to be in at the moment.

Management and Reliability of Infrastructure Systems:

Engineering management specialists oversee the operation of power lines, canals, dams,

drawbridges, and other vital pieces of infrastructure that we often take for granted. By leading

teams of planners and researchers, engineering managers can maximize taxpayer investment

in these operations by building reliable facilities that perform efficiently over the long haul.

Operations Research and Management Science:

At first, this specialty can seem like an exercise in corporate navel gazing. In fact, engineering

managers can analyze the ways that companies communicate and operate in order to make

recommendations for efficiency. As a result, companies run more smoothly and employees

don't have to waste as much time on repetitive tasks.

Software Engineering and Information Systems Management:

Today's complex software requires development teams of hundreds or even thousands of

skilled programmers. Engineering management graduates coordinate the efforts of specialists

so that their final product runs smoothly.

The objective of the Master of Science in Engineering Management program is to prepare

technical managers from fields of engineering, science, and math and computer science to

manage more effectively within technologically-based organizations and to promote

entrepreneurial activities in the formation of new business enterprises.

The EMGT program integrates management with technology by focusing on three dimensions.

TECHNICAL: an understanding of and proficiency in engineering and science.

HUMAN: the ability to build a collaborative effort within a group.

CONCEPTUAL: the ability to apply analytical thought to the management process and to

enterprise as a total system.