Engineering and Management

Assignment No. 5
Discussion Questions:
7-1. Outline the steps a large high-technology organization takes to identify its plan for personnel
acquisition for the next year. Identify the uncertainties that apply to each step.
- The following are the steps of a large-technology organization and its plan to for
personnel acquisition for the next year:
• It must first need to analyze the manner in which it expects the demand for its
services to change over a period of the following year. This process involves
estimating the demand for the upcoming year, which is uncertain.
• The company must then determine how much additional capacity it can get from
its current labor force. The challenge in this step is estimating how much more
work each employee can handle while also accounting for any new problems,
projects, or challenges that would arise and alter this estimate. Then, the
company will take into account any employees who might resign or retire, or
are not performing well, or need to be fired. Once again, this decision cannot be
made with absolute certainty, and on some years, the company may
overestimate or underestimate the changes in its labor force.
• The company can now finally decide how much more employees it needs to
acquire.

7-2. What is the importance of reference checks in an organization? Find out what reference-
checking methods are used by some companies of your choice. Discuss these methods.
- The importance of reference checks in an organization is that the reference you contact
with about different situations can offer you an excellent indicator about the applicant
you are interviewing or considering for a loan, and the references can assist you in
deciding whether or not they are the best choice. Apple, for example, uses HireRight to
conduct background checks on candidates, which can include criminal records checks
(also known as a DBS check in England and Wales and an AccessNI Disclosure in
Northern Ireland).

7-3. Company representatives take a wide variety of approaches to campus interviews. Critique
the approaches used by several such interviewers and your own preparation for and responses to
them.
- Campus interview is the process done by the company to which they hire students and
fresh graduates from different colleges and universities to fill specific open position in
the company. For example, in the campus placement interview, the newly graduated
engineer often establishes the first contact with potential employers, thus, it is very
important to be prepared. Both the applicant and the interviewer need to gain knowledge
of the employment opportunities and other advantages (and disadvantages) of working
for the company. As an applicant, I will not only read the potential employer’s
placement brochure ahead of time, but I will also research more about the company. As
an engineer, I must learn to conduct interviews as well, because after a few years of
experience, they may find themselves interviewing candidates at their plant or on
campus.

7-4. If you have been invited to a site (plant) visit as a result of a campus (or other) interview,
what preparation can you make to optimize the outcome of the visit?
- If I have been given a chance to be invited to a site, I would research and study about
the site prior to my visit so I will be able to answer and respond to the interview questions
 effectively and confidently. I will dress formally as for formality and possess a positive
aura throughout the visit to show willingness and interest to join the industry.

7-5. What are the governing parameters for the management to decide about centralizing or
decentralizing different teams/units? List the risks involved in each case.
- Centralized - to avoid disaster, especially during times of recession and financial losses,
where spending must be cut and difficult decisions on decreasing operations and
employees must be taken, effective top management may be forced to impose some
Recentralization. The main disadvantages of centralized companies include limited
opportunities for employees to give feedback and a higher risk of inflexibility.

- Decentralized management can be particularly effective during times of development,

when opportunities arise if taken quickly. This is especially true where the profit center
concept can be implemented and the lower-level manager can be given responsibility
for the primary aspects that determine a product's profit contribution, held accountable
for results, and rewarded for success. The risk of decentralization is a loss of control at
the top. It is critical for an organization to strive toward a single purpose. Because
decision-making is delegated in a decentralized organization, it is frequently difficult to
verify that all sectors of the corporation are working in unison to fulfill the organization's
strategic goals.

7-6. List and discuss different appraisal methods for employees commonly used in companies.
• Rating Scale – the most popular appraisal method. An employee receives a rating
by checking one or more of the five or more performance levels, such as: (1)
knowledge (2) work quality, (3) quantity of work, (4) attendance and punctuality,
(5) following out directions, and (6) overall appraisal.
• Management by Objectives (MBO) – is the appraisal method where managers and
employees work together to identify, plan, organize, and communicate goals during
a certain appraisal period. Managers and subordinates set clear goals and discuss the
progress achieved in controlling and debate the feasibility of attaining the goals that
have been set. This is utilized to align with the overall company goals with
employees' objectives effectively while validating targets applying the SMART
method for determining whether a goal is specific, measurable, achievable, realistic,
and time-sensitive.
• 360-Degree Feedback - This is a technique that is a systematic collecting of
feedback data on an individual group's performance gathered from a variety of
sources such as supervisors, team members, customers, peers, and oneself are all
examples of stakeholders. Indeed, everyone who have relevant information on how
an employee performs a job. This strategy is quite beneficial in terms of gaining a
larger perspective and increased self-development. Additionally, multi-source
feedback is beneficial. 360-degree evaluations are useful for assessing interpersonal
skills, customer satisfaction, and team building abilities.

7-7. Find out the techniques adopted by some firms to share/transfer the knowledge gained on
various projects by members of different teams.
• Mentorship - Short or long-term mentorship is an effective technique for two people to
share information. Mentorship is especially successful at transmitting tacit information
from the person whose knowledge you are capturing to the one who needs to learn it.
• Guided Experience - Use guided experience when specific job tasks and activities
require hands-on training. The person having first-hand knowledge tries to share and
demonstrate the function to the individual learning it.
 • Simulation - It is now widely used in organization-wide instruction, including
knowledge transfer. Modern technology, from 3D animations to realistic virtual reality
and augmented reality training experiences, provides hands-on experience in a
controlled environment.
• Paired Work - combines two employees who are both acquiring a new skill function
or activity. It enables them to collaborate and bounce ideas off of one another and
collaborate on learning.

7-8. It is a management dictum that authority should be equal to responsibility. Identify

situations where this is not true, and suggest how this weakness might be compensated for.
- Authority is not always equated with responsibility. Here's an example of a common
issue in a matrixed project management setup. The authority bestowed upon you is
inappropriate with the authority you believe you require to complete the mission. The
amount of the gap between responsibility and authority is partly determined by your
organization's structure. If you’re in a purely functional organization – and in many
cases, a matrix organization – you should not expect to be granted very much formal
authority. The difference between responsibility and authority will be vast. To
compensate for your perceived lack of formal authority, you'll have to rely on expert
power (respect gained through superior knowledge or capability) or referent power
(typically gained through outstanding leadership).

7-9. Is it reasonable that managers from backgrounds other than engineering might find
delegation easier? Support your conclusion.
- Yes, it is reasonable. Delegation relieves the management of tasks that the subordinate
is competent of performing, replacing the requirement to ensure that the work is
completed. The subordinate, on the other hand, is given the opportunity to grow his or
her skills by being delegated increasingly responsible problems. While some
subordinates like the security that comes with close supervision, others do not with the
most future potential will respond positively to increased delegation responsibility and
initiative are required. Furthermore, delegating brings decision making closer to the task
being done, which typically results in more realistic and timely decisions.

7-10. Describe the purpose, size, preparation for, conduct, and follow-up involved in a
committee meeting with which you are familiar, and critique each of these. Could a team have
handled the material better?
- A meeting in a small organization may involve all members of staff, although a
conference may not. The members of a working party or committee meeting will already
be established. Attendees in a large organization or department may be representing
others. It is critical that individuals are aware of the full ramifications of such
representation since they are not simply speaking for themselves. Members of the board
of directors and other interested parties may attend meetings held outside of the
workplace.
- The purpose of the meeting should be recognized by all. The most tangible expression
of this is the agenda which should be circulated beforehand to all those invited to the
meeting.
- The attitude and leadership of the chairperson is the most important for the success of
any meeting. In a meeting, the chairperson is the leader and has to perform the function
of a great leader in any group.