Engineering management : a global review

M.Phil. (Engineering Management)Abstract: The current trend in most industrial or engineering companies is engineers becoming managers or leaders. Engineers or technicians may serve longer in an institution or company as opposed to their counterparts in other industries. The trend applies to the engineering industry in general. Experience is a cause for succession to senior levels in this industry, and achieving satisfactory levels of competency takes a minimum of five years. As technology progresses, the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) introduces advanced complexity with its equipment designs. Technical organisations have expanded in-house skills and, in turn, the responsibility of the employees broadens and becomes complex. Typically, within the South African technical industry, the engineer moves into management by promotion while possessing excellent technical skills, but generally with limited financial, marketing, and people management skills. It is valuable for both the individual and the industry for an engineer to assume a leadership position. Technical expert skills are favourable when buying complex and high-tech equipment. The engineer with a deep understanding of the industry and experience contributes significantly when a company is selecting required equipment. When an engineer’s role changes to the manager, the challenges for him or her are to deal with new problems and present different solutions for the organisation. These problems may range from managing teams to understanding people from work-related to human issues, to defining equipment and tools to use within the scientific organisation, but understanding the international industry as opposed to the local South African engineering is essential. The purpose of this study is to analyse the University of Johannesburg’s course development in its Engineering Management postgraduate degree. The approach was to select some universities against which to conduct a benchmark study. The universities chosen were the South African universities, members of Universitas 21, and universities affiliated with the American Society of Engineering Management. The University of Johannesburg is the baseline for the research, against which the Engineering Management delivery methods and the modules offerings. The framework from the University of Johannesburg allowed the researcher to group the data collected comparatively. The evidence from the result reveals the pattern that engineering management is the leading study field at Master’s level in the universities evaluated. The modules revealed the skills set needed by engineering managers with a regular pattern as well. The study concluded that the University of Johannesburg’s Engineering Management course is on par with the world’s best institutes. The research determined that the University of Johannesburg establishment of engineering management to be solid. The study showed the relevance and delivery technique of engineering management is in line with the rest of the universities studied. The degree grading at the postgraduate level is the trend of prominence globally. The skills set offered academically by the University of Johannesburg is in line with the best practice. Engineering Managers are set for success when equipped with the knowledge (and applications thereof) gained at Master’s level. Therefore, the relationship between management and engineering strength lies with the knowledge base of engineering management