EAS590: Case Studies in

Engineering Management
Dr. Robert E. Barnes
January 14th, Spring 2009
 EAS590
It is intended to be the third and final
course in our School's Engineering
Management series. As such, it is
based on the knowledge that you've
gained from -
• EAS521 - Principles of Engineering
Management I, and
• EAS522 - Principles of Engineering
Management II.
 For this evening I would like to
accomplish the following -
1. Share with you the specific course
requirements
2. Have a brief discussion about
engineering management
3. Say a few words about case studies
4. Hear from each of you as to who you
are
5. Form small groups that will be the
work groups for the semester
6. Decide on a grading proportion
7. Work on a sample case together
SPECIFIC COURSE REQUIREMENTS
1 of 7
 Six (6) oral and written cases done in small
groups
 an “A” must have a good literature review
 each person must write a brief white paper
for each case at the end of the second night,
stating what was the single most important
thing you learned from the case
 each person must hand in an evaluation of
group members for each case
Pass out Syllabus and Schedule
 ?
What are some of your ideas as to
what engineering management is?
Functions of Engineering Management –
2 of 7

Planning

Controlling Organizing
(Measuring &
Correcting)
Directing Staffing
(Motivating &
Communicating)

DiPietro, 1986, in Handbook of Engineering Management

Bennett, 1996, in The Management of Engineering
 Typical Organizational Chart
President
CEO
Case #1

Executive Vice President

COO

CFO VP Marketing VP Production VP Engineering Chief Information Officer VP R & D VP Human Resources
VP Finance Manufacturing CIO
CMO
 Engineering managers are interested in
products/processes that are –

 On schedule
 On budget
 At the desired quality level
 Engineering Management
sequence at UB Engineering
PRINCIPLES OF ENGINEERING PRINCIPLES OF ENGINEERING
MANAGEMENT I MANAGEMENT II
Planning Cost Accounting
Organization Marketing
Leadership Engineering Economics
Control Financial Mgt
Setting Objectives Marketing Strategies
Decision Making Equipment Replacement
Forecasting Capacity Expansion
Budgeting Capital Budgeting
Investment Decisions

CASE STUDIES IN ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

An integration of previous knowledge
with any required new information to solve posed questions.
 Premise
My premise throughout the course is –

 you are competent engineers

 we need to work on management

aspects of the job

Integrating both, we will learn to solve

cases well.
 CASE STUDIES – 3 of 7
 Identify problems and classify them
(symptoms v. root causes: fever v.
virus, scrap v. worn tool)
 Analyze problems and determine
which problems (a prioritizing
scheme), when addressed, will give
us improvement commensurate with
what we are willing and able to invest
– financially, intellectually and time-
wise
 CASE STUDIES - continued
 Generate alternatives
 Analyze their strengths and
weaknesses
 Recommend a solution(s)
 and importantly, Communicate
results to others!
 Your job, for each case, will be:
 to provide a reasonable solution
 to consult the literature -- we
learn much from the ideas of
others
 to communicate persuasively
both in writing and orally
Who are you?

4 of 7
Pass out Bio Form
Choose Small Groups

5 of 7
Pass out Group Form
 Choose Grading
Proportion

6 of 7
Pass out Peer Evaluation Form
Practice Case Study

7 of 7
Pass out Practice Case Study
 Sample Case: Org Chart for
Product Development Group
EAS590, Spring 2007

Steve's Boss

Steve
Head of Product Development

John Carol Bob Paula & Dave Chad, Linda, ...

Supervising Engineer Supervising Engineer Supervising Engineer 2 Secretaries/Clerks 11Junior & Senior Engineers
(11) (1) (4)

3 Skil ed Trades 8 Non-skil ed Trades 1Technician 4 Technicians

 solution
define problem classification recommendation
symptoms outcome

Steve’s desire/ambition strategic planning get mission – vision,

clarify, create any
needed, communicate

Steve – direct reports organization align reasonably, draw

(too many?) span of control org chart: guideline: 7 +/- 2

many projects work type/load assessment analyze and define

acceptable:
organization employees, mix and # of
staffing & training projects (relationship to
(expertise of employees: company’s plan, right
training & experience) kind? too many?),
choose and organize staff,
train as needed

friction between employees relations, know formal rules and

Steve & John contract precedents of company,
 communicate
 Questions

Next week – Technical Communications