Managing engineers effectively

The professional needs of engineering personnel are investigated. Their degree of satisfaction is positively associated with overall engineering performance. All of the 16 specific needs analyzed involve 3 primary issues: 1) people skills, 2) organizational structure, and 3) management style, influenced by the task to be performed and the surrounding environment. To be effective, engineering managers must understand the dynamics of their organizations so they can diagnose potential problems and the need for change. Specific suggestions are made to increase the engineering manager's effectiveness and to improve overall engineering productivity.