Engineering Management: Creating and Managing World-Class Operations

Citation

(1999), "Engineering Management: Creating and Managing World-Class Operations", Assembly Automation, Vol. 19 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/aa.1999.03319bad.015

Engineering Management: Creating and Managing World-Class Operations

Engineering Management: Creating & Managing World-Class Operations

W.D. ComptonPrentice-Hall1997495 pp.ISBN 0-02-324121-7£27.95

Written for managers, this book focuses on approaches that are important in achieving a manufacturing system that can successfully compete in the world marketplace. It covers different aspects of how to work with people, how to encourage them, and how to understand their reactions to various circumstances. A selected number of useful tools for managing a manufacturing system are covered, including modelling and simulation, Statistical Process Control (SPC), Materials Requirement Planning (MRP), Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRPII) and Just-In-Time (JIT).

The book is divided into seven parts covering ten chapters. Part I gives a description of the manufacturing system/sector, with part II looking at strategic and operating goals and objectives for the enterprise. Parts III and IV cover the pathway to current management practice and achieving an effective organisation. The importance of the customer is addressed in Part V and includes the principles of concurrent engineering: a description of the process, benefits of the concurrent engineering process, implementing the concurrent engineering process and tools for accomplishing concurrent engineering. Parts VI and VII cover managing the manufacturing system and operations, and the management of technology.

This is a very interesting text with well-explained strategies and concepts, a wide selection of quotes from other authors and questions at the end of each chapter. The good use of relevant examples makes this book suitable for anyone with an interest in managing a manufacturing system.