INTRODUCTION TO

ENGINEERING
MANAGEMENT
Lecturer : Yılmaz Bayar

References : 1) Managing Engineering and Technology,

Daniel L. Babcock and Lucy C. Morse,
Prentice Hall, 2002.
2) Lecture notes of Prof. B. Gültekin Çetiner,
Department of Industrial Engineering,
Istanbul Tecnical University, 2011.
 Plan of the
Presentation
- Definition of Engineer
- Definition of Management
- Managerial Skills
- Managerial Roles
- Functions of Managers
- Definition of Engineering Management

2
 What is an Engineer?
- Ingenium (Latin),

- Skillful, talent, natural capacity or

clever invention,

- Early applications of clever inventions

based on military,

- Builders of talent military machines. 3

 What is an Engineer?

The first issue (1866) of the English

Journal Engineering;

The art of directing the great

sources of power in nature,
for the use and
convenience of man.

Is it an art or profession? 4
 What is an Engineer?
Modern Definition of Engineering By ABET
(Accrediting Board for Engineering and
Technology);

The profession in which a knowledge of the

technical, mathematical and natural
sciences gained by study, experience and
practice is applied with judgement to
develop ways economically in order to utilize
the materials and forces of the nature for the
benefit of mankind. 5
 What is an Engineer?

Engineer : A person applying his

mathematical and science
knowledge properly for
mankind.

It is a discipline not an art.

6
 What is Management?
• Directing the actions of a group to
achieve a goal in most efficient manner

• Getting things done through other

people
• Process of achieving organizational
goals by working with and through
people and organizational resources

7
What is Management?

- Top-level management
(president,
executive vice president)
- Middle-level management
(chief engineer,
division head etc.)
- First-line management
(foreman, supervisor,
section chief)
8
 What is Management?
First-line management:
- Directly supervise non-managers.
- Carry out the plans and objectives
of higher management using the
personnel & other resources assigned
to them.
- Short-range operating plans governing
what will be done tomorrow or next
week, assign tasks to their workers,
supervise the work that is done and
evaluate the performance of workers.
9
 What is Management?
Middle-level management:
- Manage through other managers,
- Make plans of intermediate range to
achieve the long-range goals set by
top management,
- Establish departmental policies,
evaluate the performance of subordi-
nate work units & their managers,
- Provide; Integrating and coordinating
function,
- Orchestrate the decisions & activities
of first-line management. 10
 What is Management?
Top-level management:
- Represent the the whole enterprise,

- Responsible for defining the character,

mission and objectives of the enterprise
- Establish & review criterias for
long-range plans.
- Evaluate the performance of major
departments.
11
 Managerial Skills
Managers need three (3) types of skills:

Technical: Specific subject related skills such

as engineering, accounting, etc…

Interpersonal: Skills related to dealing with

others and leading, motivating
or controlling them.
Conceptual: Ability to realize the critical
factors that will determine as
organization’s success or failure.
Ability to see the forest in spite
of the trees. 12
 Managerial Skills

Managerial
Level: First-line Middle Top
% 15
% 40
% 45

% 45
% 40
% 15
 Managerial Roles

(What Managers Do)

• Interpersonal roles

• Informational Roles

• Decisional Roles
 Managerial Roles

Interpersonal roles:
Outward
Figurehead role: Outward relationship
Leader role: Downward relation
Liaison role: Horizontal relation

Horizontal

Downward
 Managerial Roles

Informational Roles:

Monitor Role: Collects information about

internal operations and external events.

Disseminator Role: Transforms information

internally to everybody in organization
(like a telephone switchboard)

Spokesman Role: Public relations

 Managerial Roles
Decisional Roles:

Entrepreneurial Role: Initiates changes,

assumes risks, transforms ideas into useful
products.

Disturbance Handler Role: Deals with

unforeseen problems and crisis.

Resource Allocator Role: Distributing

resources.

Negotiator Role: Bargains with suppliers,

customers etc. in favor of enterprise.
 Functions of Managers
Planning: Selecting missions and objectives.
Requires decision making.

Organizing: Establishing the structure for the

objective.

Staffing: Keeping filled the organization

structure

Leading: Influencing people to achieve the

objective

Controlling: Measuring and correcting the

activities
 Functions of Managers

Management can be classified into one of

four categories:

1) An organizational or administrative
process,
2) A science, discipline or art,
3) The group of people running
an organization,
4) An occupational career.
 Functions of Managers
Management: Is it an art or science?
- Management has a body of specialized
knowledge.

- This knowledge need not to be obtained

in formal disciplined programs.
Somewhere between art and science.

(Engineering + Management =
Discipline+Art)

Again somewhere between art and science.

What is Engineering Management?

Directing supervision of engineers

and/or engineering functions.

Definition of Engineering Manager:

An engineer possessing both abilities to
apply engineering principles and skills in
organizing and directing people and
projects.
What is Engineering Management?

Why Engineering Managers?

Competition is global and companies need
these people to compete successfully.

The advantages of having an engineer

as a manager;
1. Has the ability of thinking sistematically,
2. Has technical, mathematical & natural
sciences talents,
3. Seizes the research & development as an
oppurtinity, not a cost.
What is Engineering Management?
Advantages of Understanding
Technology in Top Management

• Understanding the business thoroughly,

• Understanding technology driving the
business today and technology that will
change the business in future,
• Treating Research and Development as
an investment not an expense to be
minimized,
What is Engineering Management?
Advantages of Understanding
Technology in Top Management

• Spending more time on strategic thinking,

• Dedicating a customer’s problem (true

marketing via customer relations),

• Place a premium on innovation.