Engineering Management
Congratulations on buying this book; a wise choice! I wonder, however, what your objectives are in obtaining the book? If you believe that by reading it you will automatically become a "manager", then you may be disappointed. Perhaps it would be better to donate the book to your local charity shop and see if you can pick up a second-hand copy of Gray's Anatomy. You probably have a greater chance of becoming a surgeon by reading that book, and I am reliably informed the pay is better!I have written Engineering Management with two types of reader in mind: (i) the student who is about to enter the field of management and wants to acquire a basic understand of its theory and practice; and (ii) the practising manager who drifted into management, without any formal training, and now wishes to acquire this essential knowledge. If you fall into either of these categories, then read on. This book is for you!There are many aspects of management which need to be studied and learned, and Engineering Management provides information on all of these. However, to become a "good" manager also requires hands-on practical experience in management. Not only is theory important but managers must also learn how to apply this theory in practice and--of equal importance--how to fit the theory to their own characteristics and style.Engineering Management relates theory to practice by presenting a large number of case studies throughout the book. These case studies are based on a single company, the FloRoll Manufacturing Company. This is a fictitious company, but one that represents a typical medium-sized industrial organization. The situations presented are those which arise in real companies and are based on the author's own experience of working in four different organizations over a 25 year period. Case study exercises are also included at the end of each chapter for use in classroom exercises and discussions.Management covers a wide range of disciplines and skills and this book presents an insight into all the functions within an organization which the Engineering Manager is likely to come into contact with. It is divided into seven parts. Each part is largely self-contained and may be studied, or taught, in any order, to suit individual needs or course requirements.Part 1 introduces the FloRoll Manufacturing Company and the basic principles of management: the levels of management found within a company; the types of tasks undertaken by managers; and the different management styles adopted in different situations.Part 2 describes the business environment within an organization. It discusses the dynamics of organizations and looks at the following areas: organization structures; formal and informal organizations; global organizations; the importance of total quality management within all disciplines; and the management of change, which must occur continually if the organization is to survive and grow.Part 3 covers the concepts of corporate strategy and the processes used in arriving at decisions. It describes the elements of a strategic plan, including strategic alliances and acquisitions, and how it can be developed and implemented. Because strategic plans require the collection of relevant data to aid decision making, the techniques for data collection and analysis are also covered in detail.Part 4 deals with financial management within an organization. It describes the basic financial environment, including the following areas: the concepts of accounting; budgets and controls; profitability; obtaining finance; valuating a company; and the importance of and techniques used for costing and cost control. This section concludes with a chapter on the important topic of investment decisions; that is, how to spread limited financial resources so as to obtain maximum benefit.Part 5 describes the techniques used for planning and control of large projects, and the aims and techniques of Operations Management, including a description of the use of information technology in different parts of an organization.Part 6 covers the critically important subjects of marketing and sales management. It describes the role of marketing within an organization, introducing concepts such as: the marketing mix; marketing intelligence; market segmentation; consumer and industrial markets; product introduction and management; the management of customers; and the sales and distribution functions.Part 7 provides an insight into the skills needed by a competent manager in the following areas: leadership and motivation of staff; the importance of and techniques for building effective teams; and different methods of effective communication that can be used in various circumstances, including meetings and presentations. The book concludes with a short chapter on the importance of that very scarce commodity, time, and how it can be used effectively.I have been asked why I called this book Engineering Management, and whether or not the book is applicable to management within any other discipline, such as in a service or non-engineering environment. I have worked within the engineering profession for over 25 years ñ in many different junior, middle and senior management positions ñ managing teams from 10 to over 100 engineers, responsible on some occasions for multi-million pound projects. I have been fortunate to do this in several different disciplines, as an Engineering Manager, a Sales Support Manager, a Product Marketing Manager, and as a Project Manager. However, in spite of this wide range of management experience, it has all been for engineering organizations, and the case studies within the book are closely related to an engineering company. Consequently, I do not feel qualified to claim that the book meets the requirements of industries other than engineering, although I do believe that it does.Fraidoon MazdaBishop's StortfordAugust 1997