Framework for Undergraduate Engineering Management Studies
Publication: Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice
Volume 129, Issue 2
Abstract
The importance of management to the long-term careers of practicing professional engineers has long been recognized. Undergraduate engineering education should therefore provide an exposure to the management skills required by engineers in professional practice. For the rational and effective design of undergraduate engineering management studies, it is essential to understand the nature of engineering management and to identify those management skills identified as important by practicing professional engineers. Through an investigation of the recent literature, the management skills considered important by engineering stakeholder groups are identified and ranked. This information is supplemented by recent surveys conducted by the author of stakeholders in Australia, including academic staff, mature age undergraduate students, and recent graduates of the engineering programs at Deakin University in Australia. Based on an examination of the literature and original research, a framework of ranked classified management skills is proposed. Broadly, the ranking framework is generic professional skills first, followed by general management skills and technical discipline specific management skills, followed by other professional discipline skills and theoretical skills.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
Antill, J. M., and Farmer, B. E. (1991). Antill’s engineering management, 3rd Ed., McGraw-Hill, New York.
Ashenden, D., and Milligan, S. (1999). The good universities guide—Postgraduate & career upgrade Courses in 2000, Hobsons Australia, Subiaco, Western Australia.
Babcock, D. L., and Morse, L. C. (2002). Managing engineering and technology, 3rd Ed., Prentice-Hall, Upper Saddle River, N.J.
Batley, T.(1998). “Management training of professional engineers in New Zealand.” J. Eur. Indus. Train.,22(6/7), 309–312.
Bellinger, R.(1998). “Which business skills pay off?” Electron. Eng. Times,(1023), 124–125.
Bellinger, R.(1999). “It takes more than tech.” Electron. Eng. Times, (1076), 91–95.
Engineers’ skills widely sought in the boardroom. (1998). New Hamp. Bus. Rev., 20(3), 25–26.
Fayol, H. (1949). Administration industrielle et générale, C. Storrs, translator, Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons Ltd., London.
Gault, T.(1999). “The master plan.” Prof. Eng.,12(12), 33–34.
Grinter, L. E. (1955). “Report on evaluation of engineering education.” American Society for Engineering Education, Washington, D.C.
Hegarty, S.(1996). “Do MBAs lead to a better job and a bigger salary?” Works Manage.,49(2), 61–65.
Hughes, J. M.(1988). “The body of knowledge in management education.” Manage. Educ. Devel.,19(4), 301–310.
Institution of Engineers Australia. (1991). Guidelines for management studies in engineering undergraduate courses, Canberra, Australia.
Johnson, P. (1996). “Changing the culture: Engineering education into the future—Review report.” The Institution of Engineers Australia, Barton, Australia.
Kean, B. R. (1997). “Review of continuing professional development in engineering.” Institution of Engineers Australia Document 1/1/65-43, Institution of Engineers Australia, Canberra.
Kinsky, R. (1994). Engineering management, Thomas Nelson Australia, South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Lloyd, B. E. (1968). The education of professional engineers in Australia, The Association of Professional Engineers Australia, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Mallick, D. N., and Chaudhury, A.(2000). “Technology management education in MBA programs: A comparative study of knowledge and skill requirements.” J. Eng. Technol. Manage., 17(2), 153–173.
Owen, J.(1997). “They’ve got a little list.” Manuf. Eng., 119(1), 10–11.
Palmer, S.(1999). “Engineering management studies as part of continuing engineering education.” Int. J. Contin. Eng., Educ. Lifelong Learn.,9(2), 128–137.
Palmer, S.(2000). “Management education in Australian engineering undergraduate courses.” Eng. Manage. J.,12(3), 3–10.
Palmer, S.(2001). “Whither management studies in Australian engineering undergraduate courses?” Aust. J. Eng. Educ.,9(2), 113–126.
Samson, D. (2001). Management for engineers, 3rd Ed., Pearson Education Australia, Frenchs Forest, New South Wales, Australia.
Thamhain, H. J. (1992). Engineering management: Managing effectively in technology-based organizations, Wiley, New York.
The Canadian Academy of Engineering. (1993). “Engineering education in Canadian universities,” Ottawa, Ontario.
Webster, J. A. (1996). Engineering: A people business. Presentation to IIR Conf. 〈http://www.ieaust.org.au/papers/_|A3;Webster3.htm〉 (January 21, 1997).
Williams, C.(1996). “Management competence and the management education needs of science graduates.” Manage. Learn.,27(3), 301–322.
Working Group on Lifelong Learning and Continuing Education in Engineering. (1998). “Lifelong learning in engineering education: A call to action.” Higher Engineering Education for Europe, Leuven, The Netherlands.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
Copyright © 2003 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: May 15, 2001
Accepted: May 16, 2002
Published online: Mar 14, 2003
Published in print: Apr 2003
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.