Ref. book: Engineering Management By Fraidoon Mazda

Management: Ref. book: Engineering Management By Fraidoon Mazda

Definitions of Management • What is management? • The history of management • Types of manager • Management responsibilities • Management tasks • The engineering manager

What is Management? • No single answer • Management is the use of techniques, based on measures, artfully applied. • Saying: • there are those who do things (workers) and those who talk about things (managers) (Incorrect statement)

What is management? • Scientific ideas usually come from individuals, but it needs a large multi disciplined team to develop it into a product and to take it to market .The activities of this team need to be coordinated and ‘managed’. • Much greater leverage can be obtained from a well-organized team than by its members working as individuals.

What is management? • To young engineers management may be something ‘they’ do, a world full of time wasting effort spent mainly on covering up one’s mistakes and stabbing peers in the back, thus attempting to reach the top of the corporate ladder . (Fig 2.1) This is obviously incorrect impression. Then what is management and how does one become a ‘good’ manager?

One Golden Rule • The one golden rule about management is that there are no golden rules • It is not an exact science, like Engineering • Tasks are predictable and People are not, and everything in management eventually leads to people 2 + 2 = ?

As there are no fixed rules • all that one can hope to do is to learn the basic techniques the ‘language’ of management • and then to be guided by experience, bearing in mind that management requires a constant reappraisal of all that has been learnt, since it is almost certain that changes will occur over time

Example How to play football? You cannot learn just reading a book. However this is an essential first step: learning the basic principles and rules. Reality of management does not fully match the text

Remember • Managers are not the bosses • They are simple employees, doing a job for which they have acquired certain skills • The engineer who goes into management expecting to be a leader, to issue commands and have subordinates follow without question, will be disappointed

History of management • The practices of engineering and of management may be considered to have grown hand in hand. • An Example: Pyramids of Egypt

History of management • However, as a profession, management is relatively new, if one applies the definition of a professional. • In the UK the IEE set up a professional group on Engineering Management in 1970, almost 100 yrs after its birth. • The growth of large corporations in the 1950s, particularly multinationals, provided a boost to the professional management • Good working conditions compared with the public sector

Definition of a Professionalis • One having a minimum standard of educational or work achievement, administered by an independent body to which members belong • A person with a high degree of knowledge or skill in a particular field

Management theory was first popularized in the USA and spread slowly to Europe. The first business school was founded at the University of Philadelphia in 1881 and a hundred years later there were over 500 business schools in the USA. • How such a growth was in Pakistan?

Management techniques have also changed over the years, emphasis on different techniques being largely dictated by the industrial scene at the time. • The post war period saw a steady expansion in the developed countries, and the emphasis was on corporate planning for growth • The oil crisis of 1973 ……………. Short term payback became the key consideration, not long-term growth. • Recent Yrs….X-tics those of both the periods.

Types of Manager • Managers come in every shape and size, with very different personalities …not surprising, since managers are, after all, human. • It should also be remembered that all employees within an organization, are in reality managers, being responsible for their own tasks if nothing else.

Management levels • Organization chart • Interaction between the various levels of management (fig 2.2) • Manager’s manager • Subordinate’s subordinates • Numerous peers, both within the same function and within different functions • Usually managers progress up the corporate ladder, in a zigzag fashion

Organization's size • there is debate as to the optimum size for maximum efficiency Figure 2.3 • Material considerations favor large sizes • People considerations favors much smaller units, critical mass being reached much sooner

People considerations • In large teams there can be many communication problems and time wasted in ensuring that communication occurs smoothly. • Staff working on large projects are less able to see the contribution that their individual efforts make towards the organization’s goals, • The larger the team the greater the amount of overheads it needs, such as supervision and coordination. Organizations may be structured into divisions or profit centers.

Management styles • The style used is often determined by the personality of the manager concerned. Seven styles to be described here • A manager often displays many of the attributes of these styles. • Experienced managers may also vary their style to suite the situation

Administrators • Very formal in their approach • Looks to company rules and regulations for solving all problems • Often limited to one level upwards and downwards • They are not good at resolving conflict ? • In spite of their rather mechanistic approach they are generally respected by their staff, and by peers, for their organizational loyalty and knowledge

Time Servers • These are generally older managers who have lost interest in their job and environment • They take all necessary actions to avoid stress, and maintain a low profile within the company • If motivated, they can become a very valuable asset to the organization. They can build an effective team if they try.

Climbers • driven by extreme personal ambition and will sacrifice everything, including self and family to get to the top • pursue personal advancement by fair means or foul • However, they become demodulated if this does not show quick results, and this can eventually lead to stress

Generals • Generals work extremely hard, driving themselves and those under them • Usually a younger person who likes to rule and manipulate power but is achievement oriented • Usually they are optimistic about the future, sometimes wrongly

Supporters • usually experienced managers who are knowledgeable in management techniques and apply them where they can • They delegate responsibilities • The people working under them are highly motivated • They get support from the specialists within their department • Supporters tend to be loners and do not mix well with peers ?

Nice guys • These managers are usually weak- willed and are more interested in being liked, by peers and subordinates, than in achieving targets • The productivity of the group is low and conflicts waiting to burst out • Ready to yield to pressure from almost any source

Bosses • These managers are bullies! Using power is like a drug • They drive the people under them but not themselves • They expect recognition from peers, but often do not get it • Extremely inflexible, only strong talkers, and hide behind abusive language • They can show result for a short-term only • They advance by pointing out the mistakes of others, and not by their own achievements

A comparison • two main factors when comparing the strengths of the various styles: People and Tasks • Each style has its strengths and weaknesses and • each style has its place in various circumstances • Compartmentalization in Fig 2.4 does not give true picture

Management responsibilities • The functions that a manager performs are complex, which is partly why it is so difficult to define and record them accurately • Manager’s main task is to deal with other people, and human behavior is complex and difficult to predict • Generally, managers operate in an environment in which they voluntarily accept certain responsibilities as part of their jobs, while being constrained by other factors Fig 2.5

Management responsibilities • The shareholders expect to receive a return for their investments, measured in terms of dividends and growth • Reward to employees • Customer satisfaction: • External & Internal Customers • Marketing • Relationship between the organization and its suppliers

Management responsibilities • Responsibility to the community • Competitors • Governments acts: Direct and Indirect • the natural environment • The labour market, especially in case of skilled labour • Pressure groups

Describe the responsibilities of: • A teacher • A student • Chairman of the Department Assignment

Management Tasks • 4 interrelated groups • Planning • Organizing • Integrating • Measuring

Planning Phase • Define goals, objectives and policies • Strategic plan: • the line of action, to reach the goals • SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis • must be related back to the set of goals • establishes processes and sets performance standards, which are used later in the measuring phase. • includes budgets, covering expenses, capital and human resources. • Training plans and costs have to be included • These plans also have to be communicated to all involved in the project

Two of the key items to be covered during the planning phase • Need for change (easy or difficult) • a change in the political scene • a change in the company’s policies • Process for change • the manager should be proactive, foreseeing change and taking early action, rather than reacting to change

Organizing Phase • splitting of the work into manageable tasks and allocation to groups or individuals • ensure that tasks are coordinated and duplication is avoided • Jobs and responsibilities need to be clearly defined (may be difficult due to flexible boundaries and overlaps) • teams established and team leaders appointed • understand the needs of their customers and ensure that these are communicated to all

Integrating Phase • see the whole picture • obtain accurate information on which decision is based • Risks must be taken, not avoided (risk management) • set the direction, but be flexible enough to change if their decision proves to be wrong, or if circumstances change • team members are in communication where their work affects each other • eventual goals are kept continually in front of the team and they are motivated to achieve them

Measuring Phase • taking stock of achievements and putting in corrective actions, including process changes if necessary • must be taken continually throughout the implementation phase, not only at the end • Items that need to be measured and controlled during the project, include: • The costs, which include salaries and expenses • The use of skills and specialized equipments • Progress on the project, measured on a time-scale • The quality of the product

The methods for taking measures • formal weekly measures chart • the informal measures, a manger is continually making throughout the day: MWA, (Management by Walking About), • The prime purpose of a measure is to record and provide feed back, resulting in corrective action and process improvement • Measurable targets for individuals may be used for growing staff and rewarding them, and not for finding defects and determining punishment

Three Common Mistakes • Measures are put in place because they are required by the company • Managers feel that a poorly performing team reflects badly on them (as a backward class reflects on the quality of the teaching) • Managers do not fully trust their staff and apply very tight measures and controls

The Engineering Manager • Saying: Management is management; it does not matter whether it is an Engineering department or a grocery shop • Feeling: Management requires common sense and nothing more • Unfortunately, many engineers have no planning to take management as a career, (just by promotion) and then a good engineer may not be a good manager • Managers must learn to work through other people • Dual career ladder ……… ?

Engineers vs Engg Managers • Technical Considerations: • Management is creative and complex, as rules are not fixed and environment continually changing • Engineers working on technical projects want to be managed by someone who can understand their technical problems and …….. • Engg managers have to get resources approved for their projects

Engineers vs Engg Managers • The Time factor • Engineering tasks require thought and time, e.g. a design spread over months • Engineering management requires the ability to shift rapidly from one task to the next, from one person to another, often in the space of a few minutes • Managers are called upon to maintain an open door policy They cannot shut themselves away for any length of time • Time management Chapter 20

Engineers vs Engg Managers • The people factor • An engineer is primarily concerned with tasks while an engineering manager is concerned with people, whether they are within one’s direct control or not • Engineers find this wasteful of time and would rather do things themselves, something which the engineering manager must never do • Managers must delegate technical tasks. • Reviews and discussions with staff should not be limited to tasks, but should cover personnel issues as well, such as development • A manager cannot poach staff from another department • Engineering managers must plan for product failure and be able to reorganize their team when it occurs

Assignments • Show the management behaviour in the form of flow chart, As you see it in university. • History of growth in Engg Management in Pakistan? • Describe the responsibilities of: • A teacher • A student • Chairman of the Department • Case studies:

Ref. book: Engineering Management By Fraidoon Mazda