COMP3219W01L01Introduction2024_1___1_

Page 1: Introduction

• Module Title: COMP3219 Engineering Management and Law

• Focus: Introduction to management and law for engineers and computer scientists.

• Lecturer: Dr. Sarah Hewitt

• Date: October 2024

• Base Slides: Andy Gravell

Page 2: Objectives Today

• Purpose: Introduce the module

• Topics:

  • Delivery and assessment (check BlackBoard)

  • Organisations, management, and decision making

  • Introduction to teaching team: Anna, Haiming, Sarah

Page 3: Ideals of Engineering and Technology

• Theme: How Engineering and Technology Can Change the World For the Better

Page 4: Visual Representation

• Poster's representation of technology advancements

• Examples:

  • TDK

  • Video tape

  • Floppy disks

Page 5: Foundation Concepts

• Engineering and technology have positive impacts.

• Suggested reading: "positivism" on Wikipedia; critique by Habermas.

Page 6: Negatives of Technology

• Acknowledgement that technology has negative consequences.

Page 7: Global Life Expectancy Data

• Data from 1770 showing life expectancy trends by region (Europe, Oceania, Americas, Asia, Former Soviet Union, Africa).

• Source: Our World in Data / New York Times bestseller discussed.

Page 8: Solutions to Planetary Issues

• Question posed: Which should we rely on to save the planet?

  • Engineering and Technology:

    • Renewable energy

    • Lower power digital electronics

    • Electric cars

  • Politics:

    • Agreed targets for emissions reduction

    • Necessity to meet or exceed targets

• Emphasis on collaboration between engineering and politics.

Page 9: Collaboration vs. Individual Action

• Discussion on approaches to change the world: Alone vs. as a team.

Page 10: Importance of Management and Organisation

• Management is:

  • Dealing with and controlling elements

  • Responsibility for organizations

• Organisation is:

  • A group of people working collectively

  • The act of structuring elements of an organisation.

• Reference to John Searle’s definition of institutions.

Page 11: Types of Organisation

• Examples of organisational structures:

  • Team / Group / Committee

  • Profit Sharing Partnership / Private Company

  • Publicly Traded Company

  • Government / Department / Agency

  • Charity / Social Enterprise / University

• Notable reference for mathematical reasoning in organisational behavior: "A Survey of Multi-Agent Organizational Paradigms (V. Lesser and Horling)".

Page 12: Discussion of Mobile Companies

• Reference to key players in mobile phone history and their market leadership periods.

Page 13: Leadership Changes

• Historical context of Motorola and Nokia's rise and fall in leadership.

• Questions raised about their success and subsequent failures.

• Insights shared by a Nokia insider highlighting missteps.

Page 14: Leadership Opportunities

• Reference to research by Giachetti & Marchi on competitive actions influencing leadership change.

• Comparative analysis of decisions made by Motorola and Nokia.

Page 15: Role of Management

• Management Responsibilities:

  • Support and execution of organizational vision.

  • Involves decision-making, planning, implementation, etc.

• Importance of various management models:

  • Some mathematical (Operations Research)

  • Others based on social sciences.

• Historical note: management studied for 200 years; origin of major business schools.

Page 16: Importance of Diversity

• Thesis: Diversity is fundamental in decision-making.

• Research findings:

  • Diverse teams outperform homogeneous ones.

  • Enhanced focus on facts and innovation.

• Potential risks of "groupthink".

Page 17: Gender Representation in Engineering

• Statistic: Only 14.5% of engineers in the UK are female.

• Gender improvements = 15-21%

• Ethnic = 35%

Page 18: Systematic Decision Making

• Advocated method: being scientific and systematic.

• Decision-making influenced by unconscious biases (referencing Kahneman).

Page 19: Logic Puzzle

• A logical question illustrating abstract reasoning involving relationships.

Page 20: Module Arrangements

• Basic logistics and structural arrangements for the module.

Page 21: Topics Covered

• Overview of upcoming topics:

  • Team Project

  • Risk Management

  • Product Management

  • Company Innovation

  • Ethical Dilemmas

  • Corporate Social Responsibility

  • Environmental Sustainability

Page 22: Teaching Schedule

• Weekly topics covered by different team members.

• Availability of slides and recordings online.

• Important dates for tests highlighted.

Page 23: Coursework Assessment

• Percentage weight for coursework: 30%

• Structure of tests and guidelines for completing them.

Page 24: Question Format

• Explanation of the exam structure and how to approach questions for maximum scoring.

Page 25: Exam Details

• Weight of the exam: 70% of the module grade.

• Format and required preparation for successful performance.

Page 26: Learning Resources

• Availability of lecture materials and recommended reading for enhanced understanding.