Business Engineering: What Is Engineering Management?

• What is Engineering Management? Engineering Management is a specialized form of management that applies engineering principles to business practice. It combines the technical problem-solving skills that an engineer develops early in his career with the organizational, operational, and administrative abilities of business management in order to effectively and efficiently manage complex projects and problems from conception to completion. The discipline provides engineers the tools to systematically address issues related to design and operation of complex systems as well as develop skills specifically required in technology-based, project-driven enterprises. Examples of such skills include leadership, planning, scheduling, logistics,

I went into the program without having a full understanding of the discipline. I thought it was essentially going to introduce some business administration and leadership skills to help an engineer effectively run a business or firm. However, I have found that this discipline prepares individuals to lead, organize, implement, manage, and successfully complete technical projects in technology-based, project-driven enterprises. It also provides the engineer with tools to systematically improve operations while managing risk. The biggest shift in my perspective throughout my studies was to view operations as a system of systems. I first encountered this term in the Risk Analysis course. I believe that operations relate to the concept of system of systems in that they include a collection of dedicated processes that pool their resources and capabilities together to create a more complex process that offers more functionality and performance than simply the sum of each individual process. For example in supply chain management, each component in the chain – supplier, manufacturer, distributor, retailer, etc. – may work well individually; however, if the entire supply chain is not perceived as a system of systems, then each component may not effectively utilize their resources and capabilities with the other components to create the most optimal and efficient process possible. The

Additionally, it helped me develop a comprehensive set of techniques and methods that support the technical analysis of process, organizational, and production issues faced in the technical enterprise. Among the techniques and methods learned were deterministic optimization models that could be used to make an educated decision on variety of problems such as break-even analysis, transportation, assignment, transshipment and scheduling. Another important technique learned was statistical quality design and control. This is one of the most important things I learned throughout my graduate education. I learned that data is the foundation for process analysis and improvement. Too often in the Nuclear Navy, personnel ignore data and arbitrarily start troubleshooting issues because they feel like they are experts in the systems. I also fell into this trap because I made decisions based on my intuition before my engineering management curriculum, Using the tools learned in my Quality Systems Design course, I now use statistical processes and quality engineering principles for root casual analysis during troubleshooting. I have found this process to be quicker, cheaper, and less stressful for the personnel that I manage. The solid quality principles and techniques learned have even allowed me to find