Title Details

HANS J. THAMHAIN, PHD, is Professor of Management and Director of the Technology and Project Management Programs at Bentley College in Waltham, Massachusetts. His industrial experience includes twenty years in high-technology management positions at GTE/Verizon, General Electric, Westinghouse, and ITT. Well known for his research on project team leadership, he is the author of more than seventy research papers and five professional reference books on project and technology management. In 2000, he received the IEEE Engineering Management Society's Engineering Manager of the Year Award.

Preface xi

1 Challenges of Managing in High-Technology 1

1.1 Managing in Today’s High-Tech Business Environment 2

1.2 MoT Scope and Focus 3

1.3 Developing a Formal Definition 5

1.4 The Special Role of Engineering Management 7

1.5 Global Dimensions 8

1.6 Impact of Internet and e-Commerce 10

1.7 Technology and Society 11

1.8 Future Trends 12

1.9 Summary of Key Points and Conclusions 13

1.10 Critical Thinking: Questions for Discussion 14

1.11 References and Additional Readings 14

2 Managing in an e-Business World 16

2.1 A Changing Environment 18

2.2 The Unique Nature of Managing Technology-Based Businesses 19

2.3 History of Managing Technology 25

2.4 Forces That Drive Technology Companies Today 27

2.5 Measuring Technology Content and Intensity 30

2.6 Case Study: Reprogramming Amazon 32

2.7 Summary of Key Points and Conclusions 37

2.8 Critical Thinking: Questions for Discussion 37

2.9 References and Additional Readings 38

3 Organizing the High-Technology Enterprise 40

3.1 Today’s Business Processes Require Flexibility, Speed, and Efficiency 41

3.2 Organization Designs for Technology-Based Enterprises 42

3.3 Organizational Layers and Subsystems 44

3.4 Organizational Choices 46

3.5 Real-World Hybrids 54

3.6 Understanding the Working Environment 55

3.7 Summary of Key Points and Conclusions 57

3.8 Critical Thinking: Questions for Discussion 58

3.9 References and Additional Readings 59

4 Concurrent Engineering and Integrated Product Development 61

4.1 The Need for Effective Management Processes 63

4.2 A Spectrum of Contemporary Management Systems 64

4.3 Concurrent Engineering—A Unique Project Management Concept 64

4.4 Criteria for Success 66

4.5 Defining the Process to the Team 68

4.6 Understanding the Challenges 70

4.7 Understanding the Organizational Components 71

4.8 Recommendations for Effective Management 73

4.9 Conclusion 79

4.10 Summary of Key Points and Conclusions 80

4.11 Critical Thinking: Questions for Discussion 82

4.12 References and Additional Readings 82

5 Managing People and Organizations 86

5.1 Changing Roles of Managerial Leadership 87

5.2 Motivation and Technology Performance 90

5.3 Formal Models of Motivation 101

5.4 Leadership in Technology 110

5.5 The Power Spectrum in Technology Management 119

5.6 How to Make It Work: Suggestions for Increasing Effectiveness 123

5.7 Summary of Key Points and Conclusions 128

5.8 Critical Thinking: Questions for Discussion 129

5.9 References and Additional Readings 130

6 Managing Technology-Based Projects 133

6.1 Management of Technology Is Project-Oriented 135

6.2 Modern Project Management: A Continuously Evolving System 137

6.3 The Formal Project Management System 141

6.4 Framing the Project 143

6.5 Defining the Work 147

6.6 Managing Time and Resources 150

6.7 Defining the Project Organization 163

6.8 Using Project Management Tools Properly 166

6.9 A Model for Project Performance 167

6.10 Summary of Key Points and Conclusions 168

6.11 Critical Thinking: Questions for Discussion 169

6.12 References and Additional Readings 170

7 Measuring and Controlling the Work 172

7.1 The Challenges of Managerial Control in Technology 173

7.2 What We Know About Managerial Controls in Complex Work Environments 176

7.3 Characteristics of Effective Controls 186

7.4 How Do Managers Contol Technology-Intensive Work? 187

7.5 Recommendations for Using Management Controls Effectively 194

7.6 Conclusion 197

7.7 Summary of Key Points and Conclusions 198

7.8 Critical Thinking: Questions for Discussion 200

7.9 References and Additional Readings 200

Appendix: Project Complexity Metrics 203

8 Project Evaluation and Selection 204

8.1 Making the Right Decisions Up Front 206

8.2 Quantitative Approaches to Project Evaluation and Selection 209

8.3 Qualitative Approaches to Project Evaluation and Selection 214

8.4 Recommendations for Effective Project Evaluation and Selection 215

8.5 Summary of Key Points and Conclusions 218

8.6 Critical Thinking: Questions for Discussion 219

8.7 References and Additional Readings 220

Appendix: Summary Description of Terms, Variables, and Abbreviations Used in This Chapter 222

9 Leading Technology Teams 224

9.1 Challenges of Technical Teamwork 225

9.2 What We Know About Technology-Oriented Teams 228

9.3 Toward Self-Direction and Virtual Teams 230

9.4 Measuring Project Team Performance 232

9.5 A Model for Team Building 235

9.6 Building High-Performing Teams 237

9.7 Recommendations for Effective Team Management 239

9.8 Summary of Key Points and Conclusions 244

9.9 Critical Thinking: Questions for Discussion 245

9.10 References and Additional Readings 246

Appendix: Field Research Summary on Team Leadership 249

10 Managing R&D and Innovation 254

10.1 The Need for Innovation in Business: Changes and Challenges 257

10.2 What We Know About Management of Technical Innovation 258

10.3 Measuring Innovative Performance 262

10.4 Characteristics of an Innovative Work Environment 266

10.5 Managing for Innovative Performance 266

10.6 Conclusions 269

10.7 Summary of Key Points and Conclusions 271

10.8 Critical Thinking: Questions for Discussion 272

10.9 References and Additional Readings 273

Appendix: Voices from the Field: Some Applied Research 277

11 Managing Environmental Quality 280

11.1 New Standards and Policies toward Environmental Quality 282

11.2 Importance of Cost Accountability to Environmental Quality 285

11.3 The Established Environmental Cost Accounting System 287

11.4 New Concepts of Environmental Quality Management in Technology Firms 295

11.5 Benefits and Challenges of the New Approach 296

11.6 Criteria for Managing Environmental Quality Effectively 297

11.7 Conclusions 299

11.8 Summary of Key Points and Conclusions 300

11.9 Critical Thinking: Questions for Discussion 302

11.10 References and Additional Readings 303

12 Managing Risks in High Technology 306

12.1 The High Stakes of Playing in Technology 307

12.2 How Managers Deal with Risks—Some Field Research Findings 308

12.3 Criteria for Effective Risk Management 314

12.4 Conclusion 316

12.5 Summary of Key Points and Conclusions 317

12.6 Critical Thinking: Questions for Discussion 318

12.7 References and Additional Readings 319

13 Developing New Business 321

13.1 The Importance of New Business Development 322

13.2 Proposal Solicitation 324

13.3 Proposal Types and Formats 325

13.4 Identifying New Business Opportunities 326

13.5 Assessing New Contract Opportunities 327

13.6 Writing a Winning Proposal 332

13.7 Negotiating and Closing the Contract 337

13.8 Recommendations to Management 338

13.9 Summary of Key Points and Conclusions 340

13.10 Critical Thinking: Questions for Discussion 341

13.11 Reference Material and Contract Information Sources 342

14 Consulting in Technology Management 345

14.1 The Need for Technology Management Consultants 346

14.2 Criteria for Effective Consulting Services 348

14.3 A Model for High Performance 349

14.4 Recommendations to Consulting Professionals 350

14.5 Conclusions 353

14.6 Summary of Key Points and Conclusions 354

14.7 Critical Thinking: Questions for Discussion 355

14.8 References and Additional Readings 355

Appendix 1: Policy and Procedure Examples for Management of Technology 357

Appendix 2: Professional Societies in Science, Engineering, and Technology Management 363

Appendix 3: Professional Journals in Engineering and Technology Management 367

Appendix 4: Professional Conferences in Engineering and Technology Management 370

Appendix 5: Centers of Technology Management and Other Resources 372

Index 375