Abstract
M.Phil. (Engineering Management)
The current trend in most industrial or engineering companies is engineers becoming managers or
leaders. Engineers or technicians may serve longer in an institution or company as opposed to their
counterparts in other industries. The trend applies to the engineering industry in general. Experience is
a cause for succession to senior levels in this industry, and achieving satisfactory levels of competency
takes a minimum of five years.
As technology progresses, the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) introduces advanced
complexity with its equipment designs. Technical organisations have expanded in-house skills and, in
turn, the responsibility of the employees broadens and becomes complex. Typically, within the South
African technical industry, the engineer moves into management by promotion while possessing
excellent technical skills, but generally with limited financial, marketing, and people management skills.
It is valuable for both the individual and the industry for an engineer to assume a leadership position.
Technical expert skills are favourable when buying complex and high-tech equipment. The engineer
with a deep understanding of the industry and experience contributes significantly when a company is
selecting required equipment.
When an engineer’s role changes to the manager, the challenges for him or her are to deal with new
problems and present different solutions for the organisation. These problems may range from managing
teams to understanding people from work-related to human issues, to defining equipment and tools to
use within the scientific organisation, but understanding the international industry as opposed to the
local South African engineering is essential.
The purpose of this study is to analyse the University of Johannesburg’s course development in its
Engineering Management postgraduate degree. The approach was to select some universities against
which to conduct a benchmark study. The universities chosen were the South African universities,
members of Universitas 21, and universities affiliated with the American Society of Engineering
Management. The University of Johannesburg is the baseline for the research, against which the
Engineering Management delivery methods and the modules offerings.
The framework from the University of Johannesburg allowed the researcher to group the data collected
comparatively. The evidence from the result reveals the pattern that engineering management is the
leading study field at Master’s level in the universities evaluated. The modules revealed the skills set
needed by engineering managers with a regular pattern as well. The study concluded that the University
of Johannesburg’s Engineering Management course is on par with the world’s best institutes.
The research determined that the University of Johannesburg establishment of engineering
management to be solid. The study showed the relevance and delivery technique of engineering
management is in line with the rest of the universities studied. The degree grading at the postgraduate
level is the trend of prominence globally. The skills set offered academically by the University of
Johannesburg is in line with the best practice. Engineering Managers are set for success when
equipped with the knowledge (and applications thereof) gained at Master’s level. Therefore, the
relationship between management and engineering strength lies with the knowledge base of
engineering management.