Introduction to Engineering Management
51 Questions
0 Views

Introduction to Engineering Management

Created by
@SharpestNickel

Podcast Beta

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What is a key characteristic of nonprogrammed decisions?

  • They occur in structured environments with high certainty.
  • They involve predefined processes and procedures.
  • They are based on routine analyses and past experiences.
  • They involve unstructured situations and may require intuition. (correct)

    • Which dimension is part of Miner’s psychometric instrument for measuring management motivation?

  • Favorable attitude toward positions of authority. (correct)
  • Preference for passive leadership styles.
  • Inclination towards unstructured work environments.
  • Desire to avoid competition with peers.

    • What is the first step in the decision-making process?

  • Evaluating alternative solutions.
  • Formulating a strategy.
  • Collecting facts and information.
  • Diagnosing the problem. (correct)

    • What kind of decisions are categorized as rational according to David H. Holt?

    <p>A series of structured steps aimed at maximizing outcomes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a requirement for successful management?

    <p>Avoiding competition with peers.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is meant by a supportive climate in management?

    <p>A culture that recognizes managerial talent through various rewards.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a problem in decision-making considered to be?

    <p>Any deviation from a set of expectations.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is least likely to be a dimension of motivation to manage as per Miner’s research?

    <p>Tendency to work under strict supervision.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the internal environment refer to in the context of decision making?

    <p>Organizational activities within the company</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a crucial first step in the decision-making process?

    <p>Articulate Problem or Opportunity</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes developing viable alternatives in decision making?

    <p>Generating multiple solutions to select the best option</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why is evaluating alternatives important in the decision-making process?

    <p>It allows analysis of strengths and weaknesses of each option</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What characterizes managerial decision making?

    <p>A continuous and dynamic activity involving multiple problems</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What factors are considered when evaluating alternatives?

    <p>Strengths, weaknesses, benefits, costs, and risks</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which option best explains the relationship between internal and external environments in decision making?

    <p>Both environments directly impact decision making but differ in control and influence</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which best describes the nature of decision making?

    <p>Involves identifying and choosing among alternatives based on the situation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does market share represent in a competitive environment?

    <p>The ratio of an enterprise's sales to total sales in that market</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why is innovation important for successful companies?

    <p>It leads to continuous search for new products and services</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How is productivity defined in the context of organizational performance?

    <p>The organization's ability to produce more goods per unit of input</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What must be determined to ensure effective resource allocation?

    <p>Both quality and quantity of required resources</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role does manager performance and development play in an organization?

    <p>It ensures managers are secured for future operational needs</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What defines worker performance and attitude in successful businesses?

    <p>The respect for individual employees' contributions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why is profitability a crucial aspect for an enterprise?

    <p>It is essential for the continuation of an enterprise</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of setting standards in organizational planning?

    <p>To offer a framework for monitoring performance</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary role of an engineer according to management definitions?

    <p>To achieve desired results through the use of human and material resources</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which level of management directly supervises non-managers and manages short-term tasks?

    <p>First-Line Managers</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What distinguishes an engineering manager from other types of managers?

    <p>They possess the ability to apply engineering principles in management.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT considered a function of management?

    <p>Feedback</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is 'efficiency' in the context of engineering management?

    <p>The amount of resources used in producing a result</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main focus of 'opportunity decisions' in management?

    <p>Forecasting organizational growth and diversification</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which area is NOT typically the responsibility of an engineer?

    <p>Financial auditing</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What do first-line managers create for their teams?

    <p>Short-range operating plans</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which management function is primarily concerned with assigning specific tasks?

    <p>Planning</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of management decisions are typically made under a crisis?

    <p>Crisis-Intuitive Decisions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is NOT a component of the management process?

    <p>Evaluation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which engineering area is specifically about transforming product concepts into physical items?

    <p>Design and Development</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How is effectiveness primarily defined in management?

    <p>The extent to which organizational objectives are achieved</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does motivation to manage entail for an engineer manager?

    <p>Stimulating team engagement and commitment</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary purpose of intermediate planning within an organization?

    <p>To determine the contributions of various sub-units with allocated resources</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of planning is primarily associated with less than one year in duration?

    <p>Short-range planning</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which document summarizes the current financial situation of a firm?

    <p>Financial plan</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a characteristic of standing plans?

    <p>They provide broad guidelines for managerial decision-making</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best defines the concept of 'span of control'?

    <p>The number of subordinates a manager is responsible for supervising</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In a matrix organization, employees report to how many managers?

    <p>Two managers, one functional and one project manager</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of organizational structure focuses on accomplishing main objectives directly?

    <p>Functional organization</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What defines a limited liability company (LLC)?

    <p>Owners enjoy limited personal liability and management flexibility</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which plan is specified for unique courses of action that are unlikely to be repeated?

    <p>Single-use plan</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which organizational culture emphasizes innovation and risk-taking?

    <p>Adhocracy culture</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is an example of a procedure in standing plans?

    <p>A specific series of actions for routine processes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a common barrier to effective planning?

    <p>Lack of commitment to the planning process</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What differentiates a corporation from a sole proprietorship?

    <p>Shareholders of a corporation have limited liability</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Introduction to Engineering Management

    • Engineering Management is the combination of technical expertise with organizational and coordination skills.
    • Engineering managers are uniquely qualified to manage technical functions or broader functions in high-technology enterprises.
    • The five elements of the management process are planning, organizing, coordinating, motivating and controlling.

    Decision Making

    • Decision making is choosing a course of action from multiple alternatives.
    • The heart of all management functions revolves around decision making.
    • Decision making is a continuous process influencing organizational activities.
    • Decisions are made to address problems or capitalize on opportunities.

    Types of Decisions

    • Programmed Decisions are routine and repetitive.
    • Nonprogrammed Decisions are unique and nonrecurring.

    Decision Making Process

    • The rational decision-making process involves diagnosing the problem, analyzing the environment, articulating the problem or opportunity, developing viable alternatives, evaluating alternatives, making a decision, developing an implementation plan, and monitoring the implementation.

    Characteristics of Successful Engineer Managers

    • Managerial ability is the capacity to achieve organizational objectives efficiently and effectively.
    • Effectiveness measures the extent to which objectives are achieved and problems are solved.
    • Efficiency measures the relative resources used to achieve effectiveness.
    • Motivation to Manage is a psychological trait measured by John B. Miner's psychometric instrument.

    Planning

    • Planning is the process of setting objectives and determining how to achieve them.
    • Planning provides a framework for action and helps allocate resources effectively.
    • The planning process includes setting goals, identifying strategies and tactics, determining resource needs, setting standards, and developing functional area plans.
    • Strategic Planning focuses on long-term goals and involves analyzing the environment, setting objectives, and formulating strategies.
    • Operational Planning aims to solve problems effectively and includes identifying opportunities to achieve goals, specifying resource requirements, setting standards, and developing functional area plans.

    Importance of Planning

    • Planning is essential for achieving organizational objectives.
    • Planning provides a framework for action and helps to prevent waste and reduce uncertainty.
    • Planning ensures that all organizational activities are coordinated and focused on achieving common goals.

    Planning

    • Planning outlines the future of the organization, serving as a blueprint for achieving desired outcomes.
    • Strategic Planning sets the long-term direction while Operational Planning focuses on day-to-day tasks.
    • Intermediate Planning bridges the gap between strategic and operational, involving contributions from sub-units.
    • Short-Range Plans cover periods less than a year, often used by first-line supervisors, while Long-Range Plans extend beyond a year and are primarily handled by higher management.
    • Standing Plans are recurring plans for repetitive situations, like policies, procedures, and rules.
    • Single-Use Plans address unique scenarios, such as budgets, programs, and projects.
    • Forecasting helps anticipate potential obstacles and opportunities and involves Mechanical Projection (future based on past), Analytical Projection (statistical extrapolations), adjustments, ensuring understanding, and acceptance.
    • Common Planning Barriers include managerial inability, flawed process, lack of commitment, inadequate information, prioritizing short-term goals, over-reliance on the planning department, and focusing solely on controllable variables.

    Organizing

    • Organizing establishes the framework for efficient and effective collaboration within an organization.
    • It involves defining verifiable objectives, clearly defining major duties and activities, and establishing areas of discretion and authority.
    • Sole Proprietorship is a single owner with full control.
    • Partnership involves two or more individuals with fewer legal restrictions.
    • Corporations are legal entities owned by shareholders with limited liability.
    • Limited Liability Company (LLC) offers limited liability and management flexibility with pass-through taxation.
    • Cooperatives are owned by customers or users with earnings distributed proportionally.
    • Hierarchical Organization has a clear chain of command where everyone reports to a single superior.
    • Departmentation structures an organization by grouping people based on function, product, geography, or a mix.
    • Span of Control refers to the number of subordinates a manager oversees.
    • Narrow Span of Control is expensive, with multiple management levels potentially slowing down decision-making.
    • Wide Span of Control can overload managers and limit subordinate access to guidance.
    • Organizational Structures include Functional (grouping by common tasks, centralized decision-making), Product or Market (based on specific products or customers, allowing for flexibility and responsiveness), and Matrix (employees report to both a functional and project manager, fostering adaptability and skill development).
    • Workplace Cultures vary, with Person Culture valuing individuals, Market Culture focusing on results, Adaptive Culture prioritizing change, Adhocracy Culture encouraging innovation, Power Culture centralized under a leader, Role Culture structured with defined jobs, Hierarchy Culture emphasizing efficiency, Clan Culture fostering a family-like environment, and Task Culture forming teams for problem-solving.
    • Line Functions execute the core objectives of the organization, while Staff Functions provide support services or advice.
    • Authority types include Line Authority (direct control over subordinates), Staff Authority (advisory role), Functional Authority (specialist oversight regardless of location).
    • Personnel Staff provide services to a specific manager, while Specialized Staff do so for the whole organization.
    • Committees are formal groups formed for specific goals, including Ad Hoc for temporary purposes and Standing for ongoing issues.

    Staffing

    • Staffing is the process of finding, evaluating, and developing personnel to fill organizational roles.
    • Human Resource Planning involves forecasting future personnel needs, analyzing current workforce, and developing employment and training programs.
    • Recruitment involves attracting potential candidates, using internal sources like promotions and succession planning, and external sources such as advertising, recruitment agencies, referrals, and direct recruitment.
    • Selection involves choosing the most suitable candidates through application review, interviews, reference checks, tests, and a final decision.
    • Introduction and Orientation helps newcomers understand the organization's goals, values, and expectations.
    • Performance Appraisal evaluates an employee's performance through various methods: ranking, rating scales, essays, management by objectives, assessment centers, checklists, work standards, grading, and 360-degree appraisals.
    • Employee Performance Decisions involve monetary rewards, promotion, transfer, demotion, and separation.
    • Employee Separation can be voluntary (retirement, resignation, transfer by request), involuntary (termination, suspension, retrenchment, layoff, transfer).

    Communicating

    • Communication involves sharing information through verbal, written, and nonverbal means.
    • Effective communication within any organization is vital for collaboration, task execution, managing relationships, and implementing change.
    • The Communication Process involves developing an idea, encoding it, transmitting it, receiving it, decoding it, accepting it, using it, and providing feedback.
    • Communication Skills include setting clear goals, preparing agendas, and using proper closing techniques.
    • Listening Skills involve observing non-verbal cues, following the speaker's train of thought, avoiding personal opinions and using minimal encouragers.
    • Barriers to Communication can be personal (like emotions and values), physical (noise, distractions), or semantic (misunderstandings due to differing interpretations of symbols).
    • To Overcome Barriers to Communication, use feedback, repeat messages, utilize multiple channels, and employ simplified language.
    • Communication Types include verbal, written, and nonverbal.
    • Management Information System (MIS) provides information on internal operations and external intelligence for decision-making, assisting in both routine (scheduling, inventory) and strategic (non-programmed) decisions.

    Studying That Suits You

    Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

    Quiz Team

    Related Documents

    Engineering Management (ENGG 406) PDF

    Description

    This quiz covers the fundamentals of Engineering Management, including key concepts like decision making, types of decisions, and the management process. It also explores how engineering managers integrate technical skills with organizational capabilities. Test your understanding of these vital areas in high-technology enterprises.

    More Like This

    Use Quizgecko on...
    Browser
    Open
    Browser
    Browser