History of Engineering Technology: Organizational Structure and Industrial Team
The Organizational Structure and the Industrial Team
The organizational plan establishes decision-making duties and details how team members interact through organizational charts or diagrams.
Technologists must differentiate between line and staff functions within an organization.
An industrial team requires an organizational strategy to function properly, particularly in medium to large corporations.
Competition vs. Teamwork
Competition should be directed toward external rivals rather than internal members of the firm to ensure survival in the global market.
Teamwork is the primary business approach of the 21st century, utilizing multidisciplinary teams to make decisions on equipment, production, and finances.
Engineers and technicians must cooperate with others as those who prefer to work in isolation are less sustainable in the modern industry.
Professionalism and the Technologist Field
Professionalism is defined as a way of thinking and living, requiring specialized education and a motivation to serve humanity.
Unlike law or medicine, technology lacks a personal practitioner-client relationship; technologists typically practice as members of managed teams.
Technologists are responsible for managing resources including people, materials, and finance.
The field progresses through pioneering work, where even failures lead to a greater understanding of how to avoid future errors.
Professional Technologist Licensing
In some jurisdictions, the title "Professional Technologist" is legally defined and protected by government bodies.
Licensed/registered Professional Technologists have the authority to sign and seal (stamp) official technology documents, such as reports, designs, and calculations.
This seal signifies the assumption of legal responsibility for the specific project or study.
Quality Management and Service
Quality management is essential for global survival and comprises three components: quality control (), quality assurance (), and quality improvement.
It focuses on both product quality and the processes used to achieve consistency.
Preventive strategies involve improving work procedures and utilizing systematic solution methods to resolve quality issues immediately.
Routine inspections and active quality assurance aim to meet customer satisfaction and prevent project delays.