A Perspective on 50 Years of the Engineering Management Field

Abstract

I observe that despite 50 years, the field of engineering management has not yet established itself with the stability and all-presence of corporate finance or marketing. A quick survey of business school curricula will prove that, but engineering schools increasingly have a department that focuses upon engineering or technology management, often as part of the overall field of industrial engineering. The entire field indeed has grown enormously, across the U.S. and around the world, engaging increasing numbers of well-trained and diverse academics into systematic research and writing. They have over the years created a body of well-evidenced new knowledge that has been transferred effectively to enhance technology managers' performance. Contributions have been made to building theory, technique, and managerial practice, and far more will come during the next decades.