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Informationen zum Autor Gerard H. (Gus) Gaynor brings more than 50 years of technical and management expertise in the process of managing engineering, technology, and innovation from a business perspective. Gaynor is a past president of the IEEE Technology Management Council, serves on many IEEE Boards and Committees, and is a retired 3M Director of Engineering. Klappentext DECISIONS examines the issues required to stimulate new thinking for improving the decision-making process and achieve higher project success rates for all managerial levels. This book considers what it takes to convert the macro decision into a positive outcome; to resolve the gap that exists between the macro and subsidiary decisions; to understand why so many decisions fail to meet expectations; to direct the mindset of the engineering community to focus on its relation to other organizational units; to perform diligently the up-front work required to meet objectives; to stop squandering valuable talent and resources; to urge engineers and other discipline professionals to take a more business-oriented approach in participating in the organization's decision-making process; lastly, to not only recognize the importance of and the role of communication in all decision-making processes, but to initiate appropriate communication processes. The author addresses these topics which encompass macro and micro decisions by: Presenting critical decisions that need to be addressed in conjunction with preparations for making the macro decision Including simple illustrations and case studies to aid the process of decision-making Highlighting research related to problems associated with meeting requirements, schedule, and cost Presenting a share of factors, e.g. global economy, global participation, and global access to human and physical resources that add layers of complexity and are too often neglected The author tackles the challenges changing the mindset of engineering and its managers, and convincing executive level management to pursue to the up-front work with greater diligence prior to making commitments. Zusammenfassung Half of all organizational decisions fail. This book plows new ground by integrating the rational with the human aspects of decision-making to take readers on a tour of turning macro decisions into positive outcomes. Inhaltsverzeichnis Preface xiii 1 CONFRONTING THE REALITIES IN DECISION-MAKING 1 History of Failed Projects 2 Organizational Discipline 5 Sources of Decision-Making Knowledge 7 Making Organizational Decisions 9 Key Points 11 Notes 12 2 MANAGING THE ORGANIZATION 13 Management Model 14 New Management Paradigm 15 Executives 17 Managers 19 Engineers and Other Discipline Specialists 24 Project Managers 25 Common Requirements for Executives, Managers, Engineers and Other Discipline Professionals, and Project Managers 28 Key Points 40 Notes 41 3 DECISIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES 43 The Knowledge Chain 44 External Decision Drivers 46 Expanding Worldwide Operations 48 Dealing with Acquisitions and Mergers 49 Restructuring Organizations 52 Investing in New-to-the-Market Product/Services 55 Investing in New Technologies 57 Entering New Markets 59 Discontinuing a Product Line 60 Promoting Innovation and Entrepreneurship 61 Locating Business Operations 65 Key Points 66 Notes 67 4 DECISIONS AND PROJECT SCOPE 69 Organizational Decisions 70 Low Impact to High Impact 71 Simple to Complex 72 Low Cost to High Cost 74 Low Risk to High Risk 74 Upgrade to Innovative 76 Current Business to New Business Unit 77 Current Business Unit to a New Game 78 ...
