Rodel P. HaclaReporter

Strategic Managementfor Engineers

Course Overview

Organizations have learned that the adage, grow or die is more than a cliché. In today’s global market, maintaining the status quo is no longer an

option. As the velocity of change accelerates, historic paradigms are surrendering to new.

For organization’s to survive in today’s competitive environment, management must anticipate the strategic inflection of organizational evolution.

Engineers have played a major role in the advancement of society.

Undergraduate education for engineers, is thorough, precise, and understandably micronistic

At the graduate level, we attempt to couple the micro skills with the broader

macro perspective or in other words,the proverbial picture. The management

role requires engineers to be able to envision, from a broader perspective, the operation of an

organization and the market one serves. We must learn to think, act, speak

and process from the “management mind”.

This capstone course draws from all functional of an enterprise to provide strategic direction to an organization. It also provides engineers with a

management perspective as a complement to the engineering orientation. Strategies are offered to

ensure not only success in a competitive “for profit environment”, but the sustainability of success

throughout the economic cycle.

Let’s admit it, we people of technicalbackground find it difficult to assume

management roles for reasons inherentto our character traits which in fact ,

made us to choose this type of career.

These reasons are gathered throughexperiences enumerated as follows:

Peculiarities of Technical Persons in General

Specialist orientation, too focused Don’t want to be intervened when workingWant only to be at the “background” Timid at group interaction with other disciplines Not people oriented, hence, find difficulty in interpersonal interactionHate administrative jobsHave difficulty relating orally and/or communicating in written formConsider non-technical matters as “light issues”

These character traits coupled with lack of knowledge in management skills

is the main reason why engineers and other technical persons find it difficult to assume management role.

Fortunately, this can be solved but equipping them with the

right tools knowledge and skills for effective management.

Technical expertise is important but if we would like to be effective in management, we have no recourse but to develop ourselves in the

management aspects of our job.

It is a common misconception that if one is good technically,

he can also be as good in assuming management role.

Why is it so?

Technical persons tend to be specialistswhile management requires generalists. Itis very difficult to be expert in both fields.

As the management maxim says,specialists are people who know everything

about something while managers knowpractically something about everything.

A Self-Test of our Management Skill

Before going further , let us determinefirst how effective we are in the performance

of our job as supervisors or managers byhonestly putting ourselves in the matrix in

the next slide.

Note that this diagram is so very simple inits form but very revealing in substance.

(Acosta,2010)

After evaluating ourselves in the grid, We now reveal our management

strengths and weaknesses.

In order to be effective in managementour track must be along the ideal not

along the axes.

If we are off-tract, then the more we needto discern the content of this program.

If our tendency is to go along thehorizontal, we might be better off as a

specialist with no subordinates.If it is along the vertical, we are more

fitted to work on human relationsintensive jobs whose work outputs do not

require much involvement to otherresources.

If our path is along the ideal, we aredoing fine and this module can be used tofurther enhance our management skills.Every now and then , we should checkour standing vis-à-vis the managementeffectiveness grid so that we can rectifyourselves not to deviate so much away

from the ideal.

In fact, the objective of this modulecan be summarized by tracing the

graphical representation of the arrowalong the ideal path where both

personnel and production can be givenappropriate importance.

All the other topics to follow aim toequip us to trace this path.

The Management Concepts

Management is defined broadly ascoordinating and directing human and

non-human resources of an organizationto achieve certain objective.

A manager is a person who has authorityover the activities of other persons in an organization.

This includes the supervisors and team leaderswhich are often called first line managers.

(Acosta,2010)

However, supervisors play a critical rolesince they are the “man in the middle”

linking the workers or ranks to management.They are representatives of both the

management and their workers . Hence,the more the study of supervisory

management is important.

Management Pyramid

(Acosta,2010)

(Acosta,2010)

(Acosta,2010)

What Should Managers Know?

After understanding the hierarchy ofthe management, what skills are needed

so as to be an effective manager?Are these skills similar to the R&F

or entirely different? If so, what arethe skills combination?

Management Skills Requirements

1. Technical Skill

2. Human Relations Skill

3. Conceptual Skill

Technical Skill- knowledge and ability to use theprocesses, techniques, or tool ofspecialty responsibility area.

Examples:Skill in equipment maintenanceSkill in operating a machineSkill in accountancy

Human Relations Skill- ability to interact with otherpersons successfully

Examples:Skill in communicatingSkill in motivatingSkill in coachingSkill in behavioral correcting

Conceptual Skill- ability to discern the interrelationshipof how the units affect each other andability to coordinate activities toachieve organizational goals.

Example:OB van supervisor should know why,when and where to set up their vans andwhat equipment and how many crew are

needed for a news coverage.

The emphasis for each skill differs asone goes up to the organizational

hierarchy.

This concept is also universal in anytype of organization and often referred

to as the Law of Diminishing Focus.

(Acosta,2010)

Example :

What skill do you need if no one in yourorganization can fix a very sophisticated

equipment ?

1. Look for expert to fix it for a fee. ( CS)2. Convince him to fix it. (HRS)

Example :

What skill do you need if you lack a sparepart of an equipment that has to be

operated ASAP?1. Be “MacGyver” (TS)2. Look for available spare part somewhere(CS).3. Convince Finance Officer to produce needed

fund (HRS)

In Engineering field where most of thepersonnel are into specialization one

of the most commonly asked questions is:

“Can an specialist be an effective manager?”

The next diagram will show as the answer.

(Acosta,2010)

(Acosta,2010)

Most technical personnel fall into this trapthinking that if they develop their technical

skills more they will be effective inmanagement. This is true for specialist

than for supervisors or managers.

Why is it so?

From top level management down tosupervisors each of us is expected to

perform certain functions so as toeffectively and efficiently carry out our

tasks.

These functions are also universal forfor any organization.

Many engineering managers come to management by being assigned managerial tasks at their

companies’ site. Although they may have had plenty of engineering training and mentoring,

they learned management skills the hard way. It is widely agreed upon and accepted that future

engineering managers need training, and universities across the world have been active in providing

professional training outlets.

This educational training allows engineering students to walk a bridge that connects the science and

engineering side of an organization to its management aspects. Therefore, the purpose of this educational experience is to provide engineers the tools to become successful and effective managers. Additionally, by looking at our regional market and especially the Gulf market, we notice the growth of engineering and management sectors and the need

for Engineering Managers to handle such growth.

Objectives1. Provide engineering students with needed business

skills.2. Equip students with the process of envisioning,

designing, developing, and supporting new products and services.

3. Add value to students’ engineering skills through the ability to manage its logistics and its application fields.

4. Assist students in gaining the ability to work on multidisciplinary tasks. Instill in students effective project engineering management skills.

5. Integrate concepts of total quality management into engineering practice.

TasksAnalyze technology, resource needs, product cost, and market demand, to assess projects’ feasibility.Work with management, production, and marketing personnel to discuss specifications and procedures.Develop and implement policies, standards and procedures for the engineering and technical work.Review and write reports, approve expenditures, enforce rules, and make decisions about the purchase of materials or services.Direct the engineering of distribution projects related to water control and treatment and oil field development, gas and oil production, and geothermal drilling.Plan, direct, and coordinate survey work with other staff activities, certifying survey work, and writing land legal descriptions.

Thank you……