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The area of engineering and managerial needs of companies are focused on, and how the often conflicting engineering, business and managerial demands can be developed into a successful long‐term relationship. The concept of career management and the way in which it can be promoted and controlled is outlined. A number of practical points that companies and graduates can use to improve the management development process are given.

A two‐year experimental programme to apply the research findings of a research programme into the practice and organisation of new product development is described. It was conducted within a large manufacturing subsidiary of a major international organisation. The results from the past research work were converted into a usable form and applied through a planned programme of analysis and change. It describes how the work covering all levels of personnel from general manager to the shop floor staff, was initiated directed and controlled.

Introduces a new model of the “management of innovation” process, especially as it applies to the complex environment of engineering based new product development programmes. A review of previous attempts at modelling the management of innovation concludes that such models are becoming inadequate in view of the increasing complexity and changing conditions now influencing the innovation process. Addresses the question “can innovation be managed?” by looking in detail at the innovation process. Uses current ideas on managing complexity and chaotic systems to develop a recursive model, which, from its wedge‐like shape, is termed a “sphenomorph”. A hierarchical collection of sphenomorphs combine to form a complete innovation process. Further, each sphenomorph comprises four distinct stages, each requiring a different management style for success. Considers the need for adaptive managers, capable of dealing with all four stages of the innovation process, and reviews methods whereby such management characteristics may be identified and encouraged through appropriate training and development.

The major research studies into success and failure in new product development that have been conducted over the last 40 years are reviewed. These have provided consistent evidence, especially in the management of the development process, of attributes associated with success. It is shown that most of the studies have produced results that are not in a form for easy application by practitioners. A methodology as to how the past lessons may be applied practically is proposed.

When a company considers the introduction of new technology, a complete appraisal is required. Such an appraisal should encompass not only the short‐term factors of a financial and technology nature, but also the longer‐term factors of the people and management skills that need to be identified and developed.

A high proportion of graduates expect to leave their first employer within four years or less, many using their first appointment as a “stepping stone”. Graduate retention is therefore a key issue, and a growing problem, in long‐term corporate success. The ways in which organisations should meet the development needs of graduates in order to improve future retention rates are discussed. The concepts of Career Management and the graduate Career Product and its analogy with the new product development process are described. It is shown why, and how, companies must fully develop the internal elements of their Career Product in order to attract and retain suitable graduates. The key elements, as perceived by engineering graduates, are opportunities for career development, together with the challenging nature, and the content of their work. These aspirations reflect the need for companies to focus on career and job‐related factors as opposed to company specific information in attracting and recruiting graduates. Having developed the Career Product to its full potential, these facts must be clearly communicated to the undergraduate population. In this respect, the importance of regular, face‐to‐face contact with applicants, through interviews, is stressed.

The results of a three‐year research programme into the current practice and organisation of new product development are described. The results of a major survey of some 150 companies, in which the McKinsey 7S model was used to provide a structured analysis of all aspects of new product development are detailed. Clear trends and changes were defined, and were supported by detailed structured interviews.

The recruitment of engineering (and science) based graduates and their subsequent development to managerial status is discussed. The problems that organisations experience in the recruitment process are described and ways in which the success rate can be improved are suggested.

This paper outlines how the UK Royal Mail Group Property Holdings selected the relevant SAP modules (Real Estate, Project Systems, Material Management, Plant Maintenance) to provide their management information system (MIS) requirements. It discusses the business case, how the project was managed, the benefits to date (18 months after implementation) and the key lessons learnt. Hopefully the paper will allow the reader to understand the context for the project and how the selection decision was reached, the general approach to the benefits case (quantified and unquantified), the key aspects of the implementation, governance, project team, training and key lessons learnt. While every property organisation is different and the challenges are unique, a number of the issues are likely to be the same even if the solutions are different.