Engineering management actions taken and changes made by manufacturers to become more competitive

Abstract

Remaining competitive in today's economic climate is a formidable task for all organizations. It is especially so for smaller organizations classified as job shops. For them the problem is even more complex due to limited resources including capital, equipment, and personnel. Many engineering management actions and changes have proven effective and are available for them to use. However, what are they actually doing to become more competitive? To answer that question a study was conducted in 2008 into one basic type of job shop; the American tool and die shops that fabricate molds, dies, and tools vital to the manufacturing process. The intent was to find out how they are reacting to the globalization of the tooling industry. The emphasis was on the methods, procedures, and processes that have already proven effective by American tool shops to enhance quality, increase efficiency, and streamline operations. This information is significant because it has an established record of success when implemented in real-world competitive situations and must be covered in the management courses included in the engineering and engineering technology curriculum. The findings indicate that American tool shops are using innovative technologies, updating machinery, and instituting new strategies. The tool shops making this transition are the adaptors creating new competitive advantages by revising their strategies to reflect competitive changes, offering products fitting into unique niches, supplying specialized customer services, and providing rapid delivery. The results from this study have been incorporated into engineering and engineering technology courses to better prepare graduates for careers in engineering management for manufacturing based industries. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2010.