An Intro to Management

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Subject Introduction to Management

Relevance of Managerial Knowledge for Engineers

Prerequisites for a successful career in Engineering

Most of the jobs in Engineering discipline are not in Design / Development


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January 2, 2013 2

Overview

Most engineers careers include managerial tasks

though many remain in predominantly technological

jobs.

Over 80% indicated that they needed some of themanagerial skills and expertise.

Most difficult or demanding aspect of job People

related tasks outweighed the technology-related tasks.

For engineers generally, managerial and social skills

and expertise are as important as technical ones, and

not least for newly Chartered Engineers.
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January 2, 2013 3

Preferred reason for selectingmanagement subject

75%

15%

5%

2%

1%

1%0

It's in syllabus

Easy to get marks

Better than technical subject

I'm curious

It may be interesting

For career growthTo perform better

Based on survey conducted in a technical university during 2009-10


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January 2, 2013 4

Partial List of Managerial Functions

Costing, Estimating, Project financing, Evaluate projects,Analyze projectrisks, Analyze corporate risks, Plan and control budgets, Companyaccounting, Corporate (business) strategy , Plan and schedule project,Planning, Patenting Marketing of products, Marketing of consultancy,

technical services, Use of company law, Use of health & safety law,Use of employment law, Use of consumer safety law, Draft contracts,Negotiate contracts with client/customer, Negotiate withsupplier/contractor , Negotiate with employees, Negotiate with UnionRepresentatives, Negotiate with public authorities (not as customers),Negotiate with senior management , Statistics , Operational research,Systems analysis, Organization and Methods (O & M), Work study(methods study), Data processing, Make formal presentations, Planand chair formal meetings, Plan personnel requirements, Recruit andselect personnel, Motivate others, Supervise others, Appraisepersonnel, Employee training manual workers


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January 2, 2013 5

Philosophical Demands

What is not studied as a student may never be learnt

at all, or not learnt at all thoroughly.

Continuous trend among engineers opting for higherdegrees in management subjects indicates that the

need for more professional preparation is perceived by

engineers and employers.

The trend that studies to precede experience is atypical characteristic of the evolution of all professional

work.


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January 2, 2013 6

The Present Situation

Engineers with management skills and expertise have

higher added-value than more technological ones.

Employability and then success in the first years of anengineers career may thus depend upon competence

in technical matters combined with communications

and managerial skills.

Engineers need considerable expertise in somemanagerial tasks early in their careers even when not

in predominantly management jobs.


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January 2, 2013 7

Above all....

Engineers need to be aware of the mechanismwith which their superiors manage their functionsto relate their job expectations to the overall

functions to which they contribute.

Engineers need to be conversant in the processesand able to adopt to them to be productive

Engineers need to be familiar with the politics ofdecision making in the organization for theircareer progress.


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January 2, 2013 9

R E A L

L I F E

E X A M P L E S


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January 2, 2013 10

MY DAYS WITH SUSPA...

Technocrat life turning into a Managerial Life

Thrown into challenges

En-cashing opportunities

Adopting and Learning

Seeding of Self belief

Recognition and Confidence acquiring


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January 2, 2013 11

First Opportunity

Opportunity not of an ENGINEERS but of a MANAGER

Profit-Center-Head responsibility turnedme into a MANAGER first and then to anENTREPRENEUR.

Technical know-how and ManagerialExperience coupled with the Confidencederived out of delegation.


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January 2, 2013 12

Starting own venture...

Confidence borne out of seasoning.

Not satisfied with the tasks given initiativestaken to own the operations.

Technical problem solving skills acquired.

Getting to know the management functions with

superior's confidence and risk management.

Accepting the realities and value orientation.


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January 2, 2013 13

Getting to adopt business values

Ownership, values obtained in first venture failure.Politics of ownership.

Utility time frame.Learning the importance of financial control.

Seasoned risk managing desires.Importance of risk exposure for progress.Learning to be decisive and willing to take

unpalatable decisions....Certainly not a domain for an ENGINEER.


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January 2, 2013 14

Lessons learnt used effectively

Many ventures floated and operations delegated.(Delegation means confidence earned)

Tendency to delegate borne out of experience.(Many successful ventures exist.)

Bitter experience of dropped-off strengthened theresolve for quick and firm decisions in trying and

closing business associations.(Some working partners severed off.)


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January 2, 2013 15

Summing up...

Managerial thinking is essential for Engineers.

Experience add substance to managerial thinking.

Engineers knowledge expands more into businessmanagement domain than in technical domain inthe long run.(Efficacy of technical enhancement isnot through experience, more through training andlearning)

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An Intro to Management