MGT 622
Management of Technical
Professionals
Summer 2008
Instructor:
J.
Daniel Sherman, Ph.D.
Office
Hours: 9:00am-6:00pm Mon-Fri
Office: 102D
Administrative
Phone: 824-6058
Email: shermand@uah.edu
Reading
Assignments: MGT 622 Course readings are available
at Currie Systems,
Course
Notes: Lecture outlines are available on the
Web at http://cba.uah.edu/shermand/
Course Description: Differences in the nature of the
research and development functions and in the skills required of engineers and
scientists create special problems for the manager. This course examines important issues in
managing engineers, scientists, and technical support personnel. However, the topics covered in MGT 622 are
relevant to the management of professionals in general. Specific topics include: factors influencing
technological innovation, organizational design issues in R&D, product
development cycle time, cross functional integration, intra-preneurship
and product champions, motivation and performance, financial incentive systems
for professionals, dual career ladders for engineers and scientists,
communication problems and technological innovation, managing teams (group dynamics
and group decision making), leadership in the high technology organization,
performance evaluation systems for technical professionals, job design issues
for technical support personnel, managing conflict, defending against political
behavior, managing stress, organizational development, and TQM.
Summary of Grading: In MGT 622 there are two exams. The
first test will account for 35% of the course grade and the second test will
account for 35%. In addition, throughout
the term small group case analyses will be conducted as class exercises to
facilitate the understanding of the concepts discussed in class. Performance on the group case analyses will
receive a weight of 20%. Class participation will account for 10% of the course
grade. In summary:
Test 1 35%
Test 2 35%
Cases 20%
Participation 10%
CLASS SCHEDULE
|
SESSION |
DATE |
TOPIC |
|
1 |
5/27 |
Introduction to the management of technical professionals;
Factors influencing technological innovation; Organizational design issues in
R&D: Functional, project, and matrix structures |
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
5/29 |
Span of control and levels of management; Product development
cycle time; Cross functional integration and concurrent engineering |
|
3 |
6/3 |
Organizational learning; Business process re-engineering;
Product champions; Decentralization; Motivation & performance: Higher
order needs, Expectancy theory model, Equity theory, reinforcement theory |
|
|
|
|
|
4 |
6/5 |
Financial incentive systems for professionals; Managing
turnover among technical professionals; Dual career ladders for engineers
& scientists; Communication problems in technology firms |
|
5 |
6/10 |
Exam #1; Managing teams: Overcoming problems in group dynamics
& group decision making |
|
6 |
6/12 |
Leadership in the high technology organization; Managerial
control & performance evaluation systems for technical professionals |
|
|
|
|
|
7 |
6/17 |
Performance evaluation; Job design issues for technical
support personnel |
|
8 |
6/19 |
Job design, Managing conflict |
|
9 |
6/24 |
Organizational political behavior; unethical conduct;
Managing stress; Organizational development; TQM |
|
10 |
6/26 |
Exam #2 (6:30pm) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MGT 622
SESSION
1
Cooper,
R., Kleinschmidt, E., “Winning Businesses in New
Product Development: The Critical Success Factors,” Research-Technology Management, 50(3), 2007, 52-66.
Cooper,
R., Edgett, S. and Kleinschmidt,
E., “Benchmarking Best NPD Practices,” Research-Technology
Management, 47(1), 2004, 31-43.
SESSION 2
Glass,
J., Ensing,
Sherman,
J. D., “Lessons Learned from the Early Stages of Development of the Guardrail
Common Sensor for the Radical Reduction of Cycle Time”, Acquisition Review Quarterly, 10(3) 2003, 300-314.
Sherman,
J. D., “Patriot PAC-2 Development and Deployment in the Gulf War”, Acquisition Review Quarterly, 10(1),
2003, 29-45.
SESSION 3
Bhuiyan, N., Thomson, V. and Gerwin, D., “Implementing Concurrent Engineering,” Research-Technology Management, 49(1),
2006, 38-43.
Sherman, J. D., “Lessons Learned
for the Development of the Joint-Stand-Off Target Attack Radar System Common
Ground Station,” Defense Acquisition
Review Journal, 13(1), 2006, 81-94.
Frohman, A., "Personal
Initiative
Kunkel, J., “Rewarding Product
Development Success,” Research-Technology
Management, 40(5), 1997, 29-31.
Rumpel, S. and Medcof,
J., “Total Rewards: Good Fit for Tech Workers,” Research-Technology Management, 49(5), 2006, 27-35.
SESSION 4
Risher, H., "Compensating Today's
Technical Professional," Research-Technology
Management, 43(1), 2000, 50-56.
Maidique, M. A., "Duval Plastics
Corporation," in Strategic
Management of Technology & Innovation, R. Burgelman
and M. Maidique, eds., Homewood, IL: Irwin, 2003.
Piraino, B. and Lawson,
J. "The Irate Customer," Proceedings
of the Society for Case Research, 1993.
Marx, R., Stubbart,
C., Traub, V., and Cavanaugh, M., "The NASA
Space Shuttle Disaster,"
SESSION 5
EXAM #1
GAO, “Best Practices: DOD Teaming
Practices not Achieving Potential Results,” Report to the Chairman and Ranking
Member, Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support, Committee on Armed
Services, U.S. Senate, GAO-01-510, 2001.
SESSION 6
Kallasvuo, O., et.al., “Moments of Truth:
Global Executives Talk about the Challenges that Shaped Them as Leaders,” Harvard Business Review, 85(1), 2007,
15-25.
Souder, W.E. “Supervision: My
Supervisor is a Nerd,” Unpublished case.
Medcof, J. “CTO Power,” Research-Technology Management, 50(4),
2007, 23-31.
Keller, R., “Transformational
Leaders Make a Difference”, Research-Technology
Management, 38(3), 1995, 41-44.
Kane, J.S. and Kane, K.F.,
“Performance Appraisal,” in Bernardin and Russell,
eds., Human Resource Management,
SESSION 7
Katz, Ralph, “Motivating Technical
Professionals Today,” Research-Technology
Management, 48(6), 2005, 19-27.
SESSION 8
Yetter, Ed, “Raytheon Company Test Lab
Consolidation”, unpublished case, 1998.
Maccoby, M., “Creating Moral
Organizations,” Research-Technology
Management, 48(1), 2005, 59-60.
SESSION 9
Pinto, Jeffrey K., “Make Politics
Work for You,” Research-Technology
Management, 40(1), 1997, 9-10.
Sherman, J. Daniel, “Lessons
Learned from the Development of the Fiber Optic Guided Missile (FOG-M),” Defense Acquisition Review Journal,
12(4), 2005, 437-451.
SESSION 10
EXAM #2