Engineering Management

Dr. Abu Bakr Siddique

 Lecture Outline
• Introduction to the Course
• Career Patterns & Self Growth
• The Larger Goal
Introduction to the Course
 Why Study Eng Management?
• In this course we will discuss the work ethic and
general principles around which tech companies
are based. But how can that help us, you may ask.

• Firstly, by studying the foundations of the modern

corporate world we are able to learn some
universal principles, which we can apply in our
daily life and career.

• Secondly, management is about identifying and

doing the very little that can be done to improve a
given situation.
 Books
• Lecture Notes – Key to grasping general concepts.
Compiled from three books.

• 1. Camille Fournier, “The Manager’s Path: A Guide

for Tech Leaders Navigating Growth and Change”.

• 2. Masaaki Imai, “Gemba Kaizen: A common sense

approach to a Continuous Improvement Strategy”,
Second Edition.

• 3. Euclides A. Coimbra, “Kaizen in Logistics and

Supply Chains.”
 Course Outline
Navigating Growth in Tech Firms as a Young
Professional: Content designed from
Career Patterns & Self Growth various sources &
The Larger Goal Book 1
Managers – Types, Problems, Expectations
Tips for having good relations with Managers

Modern Supply Chains:

Types of Industries
Content designed from
Global Trends Various sources
Global Value Chains
 Course Outline
Introduction to Gemba Kaizen:
Introduction to Kaizen Content designed from
Major Kaizen Concepts Book 2
Major Kaizen Systems
The Ultimate Goal of Kaizen Strategy

Gemba:
Gemba and Management
Content designed from
Policy Deployment
Book 2
The House of Gemba
Standardization
The 5S of Good Housekeeping
Muda Elimination
 Course Outline
Quality, Cost and Delivery:
Content designed from
Quality: Not just a Result
Book 2
Cost Management
Delivery

Standards:
What do we mean by Standards Content designed from
Operational Standards Book 2
Key Features of Standards
The Toyota Business Practice
Kaizen and International Quality Standards
 Course Outline
Visual Management:
Content designed from
What is Visual Management
Book 2
Visual Management in the Five Ms
Visual Management with 5S

Just-in-Time (JIT) Systems: Content designed from

Takt time vs Cycle time Book 2 and Book 3
Pull production vs Push production
Establishing Production Flow
One piece flow
Total Flow Management (TFM)
Pull Logistic Loops
 Course Outline
Total Flow Management (TFM) Model:
Production Flow Content designed from
Internal Logistics Flow Book 3
External Logistics Flow
 Grading
Final Exam
50%

Mid Exam
20%

Sessional
Quizzes (18 %)
Attendance (8 %)
Assignments (4 %)
Career Patterns & Self
Growth
 Career Patterns
• There are many factors that can impact an
individual's financial and career success, including
education, industry, personal circumstances, and
luck.

• It's important to focus on your own goals and work

hard to achieve them, regardless of your age or
career stage.

• Over here I will discuss some general trends about

early, mid and late careers that are based on
observations.
 Early Career
• For many people, the early career (referred to the
ages of 20s and 30s) is a time of exploration,
trying out different careers and taking risks.

• This can be a period of significant personal and

professional growth, and can set the foundation for
future success.

• Key career gambles/decisions/risks will have to be

taken by the early 30s, i.e. before you enter your
mid career when other responsibilities will come
into play.
 Early Career
• It's important to note that one may need to take
some risks throughout his/her life.

• This is because taking risks can be a critical part of

personal and professional growth, and can lead to
new opportunities and greater success.

• But the degree of risks that one has to undertake

should decrease with time as other responsibilities
grow, and as our energy levels begin to drop.
 Mid Career
• The mid career typically refers to the age range of
35-55 years. Many people experience their greatest
career and financial growth during this time
period.

• They have gained experience, developed their

skills, and have built up a strong network of
contacts.

• But its also a time of great anxiety and depression

for most people as they fall into what is referred to
as the midlife crisis.
•
Midlife Crisis
The midlife crisis most commonly occurs because
people become disengaged from their jobs.

• Professionals who chose a career path that is not

their genuine calling are most likely to experience
this. In other words, being in a misaligned career is
what we may refer to as a midlife crisis.
• During the mid career stage people start facing
growing stress or feel disappointed that they
haven’t achieved as much as they thought they
would.
 Midlife Crisis
• Moreover, other priorities and responsibility such
as a mortgage and childcare puts more pressure
and stress on their shoulders.

• They feel that there is nothing they can do about

their situation, and that it is too late to change
directions in life.

• The midlife crisis is often a consequence of the

decisions that you would have undertaken during
your 20s and 30s.
 Late Career
• The late career starts around 50-55 and ends in the
age range 65-70 years.

• Some people experience a surge in productivity

and earnings during the late period as they take on
leadership roles, mentor younger colleagues, and
draw on their years of experience and wisdom.

• But apart from these standard career patterns, it is

important to appreciate that these patterns may not
be applicable to everyone or remain true in the
future.
 Should I choose a career in the Tech World?
A long term career in the tech world may not be for
everyone, as it may not be rewarding enough.
– Lack of job security
– Working for someone rather than your own business
– Pays subject to industry condition
– Energy Level / Motivation

Not everyone is built for a career in the tech world –

so should you still keep trying for something you are
not suitable to.
 Should I choose a career in the Tech World?
• This is not a course that will teach you what your
correct career path should be. That is a difficult
process you must personally undertake.

• But knowledge and experience of the corporate world

can be beneficial in other spheres of life like business,
academia, government service, consultancy,
freelancing, etc.

• Not only can such an exposure increase our awareness

of the world but a corporate life is often able to instill
good work ethics in individuals.
 Navigating Growth in Tech World
• There are some golden rules that you must follow in
order to excel in any sector, whether its academia or
industry or whether its public or private sphere. I’ll list
only the most important ones below so that you are
able to remember them:

– Develop a diverse skill set

• Become important/relevant
• Staying Technical
– Create opportunities
– Keep up with industry trends
– Build a strong network
 Life expectancy
• Because of advances in medical sciences the
average human life has elongated significantly – this
is especially true for the more advanced countries (1
in 6 alive today in the UK, will live over a 100
years).

• Also governments around the world are becoming

more wary of social benefits. Retirement ages are
expected to increase. Pensions may be scrapped, be
insufficient or perhaps even irrelevant in the context
of a rapidly changing world.
 Midlife Crisis – How to Deal
• It is more likely that you will fall into a midlife
crisis than not. You will have to work hard and be
lucky to avoid it.

• But the correct way to deal with midlife crisis and

with managing a good retirements is to have a long
term goal in life.

• But before we dwell into what is the long term

goal/plan, we need to read some stoic wisdom in
order to remind ourselves that a lot of things are
not in our control.
 Stoicism
• Most (if not all) things happen to be beyond our
actions. The Stoics believed that instead of trying to
control or manipulate things so that they give us a
desired outcome, we need to let things flow their
natural course.

• Forcing things against their natural course, often bring

about trouble. In fact many things happen when we
stop controlling them.

• Stoicism does not advocate that we should renounce

the world. It instead argues that we should keep our
focus on things we can control.
 Stoicism
• Because attempting to control things outside our sphere
of influence shifts our focus from things that should
matter (i.e. things that we actually have control over).

• One should therefore attempt to live in the present

moment because that is what we have control over. On
the other hand, we have no control over the future and
the past.

• We of course need to learn from our past and try to plan

our future, but at the same time understand that most
things are out of our control, and therefore keep our
focus in the present.
The Larger Goal
 The Larger Goal
• No matter what your circumstances become during
your midlife, you must strive to improve and move
towards your area of interest if possible – its never
too late.

• The best career can be shaped by not worrying too

much about the outcomes and having a larger goal
in life.

• For example, you may be doing a job and

simultaneously gradually working towards starting
your own business.
 A Practical Goal
• Or you may be learning some high end skill that
can later help you become a consultant in your
field.

• Your larger goal in life should not just be a fantasy.

It’s a goal – a practical pathway that you can see
and that gets you motivated to work towards it.

• It must be something you are good at and have the

ability to see through.
 What does a long term goal do for me?
• Having a long-term, larger goal in life can provide
several benefits that can positively impact one's
career.

• Provides Direction & Planning: When you have

a clear idea of what you want to achieve in the
long-term, it helps you prioritize your short-term
goals and decisions.

• Motivation: A long-term larger goal can provide

the motivation and drive needed to persevere
 What does a long term goal do for me?
through difficult times and setbacks in your career.
When you have a clear purpose, it can help you stay
motivated, content and focused, even during times of
uncertainty or stress.

Personal development: A long-term larger goal can

also encourage personal growth and development. By
working towards a bigger purpose, you can gain new
skills and experiences that can be valuable in your
career. You can also learn from your successes and
failures, which can help you develop resilience and
improve your
 What does a long term goal do for me?
• decision-making skills.
• Pursuance of a long term goal can shape you to
become a leader. This is because in pursuing your
larger goal you develop a clear vision for the larger
picture while keeping an eye for detail; which is
exactly the trait required by individuals who lead
corporations.

• Competitive Mindset: In an extremely competitive

capitalistic world, it is becoming ever more important
to have your own original story, product, skill, etc.
This is possible if you pursue
 What does a long term goal do for me?
something relentlessly and with motivation. The only
thing people pursue relentlessly and with motivation
are their own goals – not goals of other individuals
and/or organizations.

Financial Stability: Only a handful of people can

earn sufficient amounts of money and invest it wisely
to see a good retirement that will support their kids.
The wiser approach is to develop a revenue source that
will pay off when you retire. Today a lot of people in
the developed world earn a significant proportion of
their total wealth after
 What does a long term goal do for me?
• retirement (between 60-75 years). These are people
who have pursued long term goals in life. They are
financially well off than most of the people who
have been relying on savings.

• Overall, having a long-term larger goal in life can

help you stay focused, motivated, and strategic in
your career. It provides a clear sense of direction and
purpose that can guide you towards success in your
chosen field.
 Short term objectives
• Remember your goal is usually not that you will
do a Masters degree from Europe or do a
certification or switch to a high salaried paid job.

• These are short term objectives that may be part of

your life’s journey. You may find your goal while
pursuing these objectives.

• In some instances a short term objective like doing

a degree or moving to an advanced country can be
made into a larger goal.
 Short term objectives
• But remember the idea is that your goal makes you
content and once you achieve it you don’t have the
big urge or desire to find a new goal. In short, the
pursuance or the attainment of your goal must keep
you happy and content.

• If after 5-10 years of attaining your goal you feel

that you need to do more and that you have not
done well in your life, then that goal which you
had set was not actually a long term goal. It was in
fact a short term objective. And so your long term
goal setting was wrong.
 How will I find my Goal?
• The larger goal in your professional life will come
to you and you would know it.

• It is similar to the Stoic principles we just read. You

cannot force yourself to find your larger career goal.
It will naturally happen.

• However, you cannot sit idle waiting for the goal to

come to you while you waste time. In most cases
your hard work and focus in life will lead you to it.
 You may not find your Goal
• Usually people pursue life with short term
objectives. If they work hard enough and focus on
the tasks at hand, they are able to find their long
term goal somehow.

• Not everyone is able to find their long term goal in

life because they don’t work hard enough or keep
their focus on achieving their short term objectives

• And even when people find their long term goal,

only a few of them pursue it.
 The Drive to Achieve the Goal
• This is because pursuing the long term goal often
requires some degree of risk.

• One may lack the courage to pursue his/her long

term goal or be overwhelmed by other
responsibilities. They may feel their circumstances
and/or age may not permit them to do so.

• Often it is a matter of an individual’s drive. If

someone is genuinely motivated to pursue his/her
goal, they do take the risk of pursuing it.
 Life is all about the Opportunities
• There are a lot of instances in life when one gets
the right opening in terms of job and/or education,
where the individual can learn and benefit in the
long and short terms.

• This will be the time that you may get some ideas
for your future plans, some direction to work and
learn, and a goal to dedicate your life towards.
• But there is some pattern. I’ve noticed that more
focused, mature and hard working individuals are
able to capitalize on opportunities and set their
goals earlier in life.