Tim Breader whose specification is civil engineering

Tim Breader, whose specification is civil engineering, is introduced in this chapter. Tim graduated and was hired by the Bailey Brothers Consultancy, an engineering consulting firm. After the amalgamation of Lew and Stuart and the Bailey brothers, this consulting firm was founded. The Bailey brothers included two brothers, one of whom was a trained civil engineer, and Tim, who was also a civil engineer. On the other hand, Lew and Stuart had three draftsmen, one civil engineer, and two administrative personnel. Tim Breader recognized that working with the Bailey Brothers was exciting, and the jobs they were performing matched his criteria of being both ethical and experienced. Moreover, the Bailey Brothers considered Tim as a good learner and decided to work with him.


After seven consecutive years of working with the Bailey Brothers, Tim decided to move on and got employment in the Grand Star Consultants. This is an international consultancy company which is drastically growing with 45 civil engineers and an office in the capital. Although Tim looked reluctant leaving Bailey Brothers, he still wanted to advance his career which Lew and Stuart also realized that it was an excellent chance for him.


Tim started working in the Grand Star with eight other engineers headed by Finkleman who was the supervising engineer. In the course of his career, Tim realized that operations in his new company were so different with those of the Bailey Brothers. In this company, Tim realized that designs were not thoroughly scrutinized as it was done in his previous company.


Three months working in the Grand Star, Tim was part of the team working on the new Bayswater Shopping complex. Though design work was in progress, the engineer working on it resigned. After Tim looked over the designs, he realized that he had seen a similar drawing in the past. With no time, Tim realized that they had used a similar design for the Parkview shopping center four years ago in the Bailey Brothers consultancy firm.


After Tim realized the controversial design was not genuine, he contacted the senior draftsman and asked about the origin of the Bayswater Shopping Complex design. The draftsman explained that the drawings were present in the Grand Star's drawing database and explained the pressure that they were under after losing two qualified draftsmen who were not in any case replaced.


Table of Contents


Introduction5


Body………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….....…………………6


Management Issues6


Contractual Issues7


Ethical issues9


Recommendations10


Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….12


References13


Introduction


Hardly does a month pass without an invitation from colleges and tertiary institutions to a consultancy firm requesting for personnel who is good in prospective management for exposure of the latest concept in the engineering industry. Seldom do people read a periodical or magazine that does not contain any an article about a company's program in management development. The unique emphasis on the development of managers has been ongoing since the end of the Second World War and has already passed the fad stage. However, what is different in the present world?


Probably, it all starts with increasing the complexity and size of the company. Today, there are great technologies that engineers take part in and have in one way or the other contributed to the complexity of the industry. Moreover, some factors have been inherited from the past such as the respective shortage of employment in the 40s. Today, many countries have decided to incorporate all skills in the training of engineers so that they can come up with a fully baked expert. With the return of a highly competitive era, getting more people to work does not seem more feasible than having a few people with varied skills.


As seen above, it is obvious that people think that a manager has certain traits which can easily be developed through education, training, and experience. However, that is not true since there is no stereotype of being a successful manager. Just as in other skills, managers do vary. Furthermore, there is no reason why the skills of managers in different levels should be the same and why they should not vary from one enterprise to another. In more complex industries involved in engineering, there is a need for of highly skilled and professional employees serving as managers and the demand increases as the industry continues to be more complicated.


Discussion


Management Issues


The intellectual basis of effectiveness is cultivated from the effectiveness of a manager. Although there is an interrelation, the required outcome of the engineer as a manager largely is not a function of the mind but emotions. When it comes to management, the academic setting does not in real sense handle emotion based effectiveness. Moreover, a good engineering education cannot predict the effectiveness of an engineer as a manager. Furthermore, it should be viewed as a cadre of management talent to operate like a manager (Joseph, S, 1985).


In this discussion, Tim braider is a civil engineer who graduated from the University of Western province. As a civil engineer, Tim is required to carry several duties that also reflect those of the managerial position. Tim should be able to confer with the management, marketing staff, and production. This will help to discuss the specifications needed for the projects as well as the procedures involved. Let's take for instance Tim actions in the Bailey Brothers Consultancy firm. Tim can step up his efforts and show that his skills are not in vain. He can convince the management that he is the best and gives it all. Though the Bailey Brothers is a small consultancy firm, Tim is still able to offer his expertise and create distinct designs with the Bailey Brothers. Even after he feels that he need to exercise his skills in a bigger firm, the consultancy firm does not object his move. A good civil engineer with managerial skills will be able to direct projects and make detailed plans which will stand unique over the years (Nathan, S, 2012). In the case study, after Tim was employed in the Grand star and included in a team that was working on the Bayswater Shopping complex, he realized that the design that was to be used had been used before in the Bailey Brothers Consultancy firm.


In the Grand Star Company, Tim finds a different form of management and procedures as compared to the Bailey Brothers. Moreover, the company was not taking keen consideration of the designs that they were offering. Tim realized that drawings were not properly scrutinized. This shows a weakness in management. A good company will have managers who can analyze and assess the feasibility of designs they create. Compared to the Bailey Brothers, management in the Grand Star was not done in the right manner. The Grand Star is an international company and should depict order and a unique form of management which is not the case. A weakness in management is brought also brought out in their database which contains a design owned by another company. This shows the incompetence of the 45 engineers registered with the firm.


A management problem is also brought out when the engineer who was working on the Bayswater Shopping Complex resigns with no genuine reason being outlined. It can be perceived that the company's leadership has no good relations with its employees. It does not end there since the draftsman explains to Tim that their office works under very high pressure. In such a case, the management is to blame if a design is not developed in the right manner. It is because the company does not give its draftsmen enough time to complete its projects. Furthermore, the company had lost two qualified draftsmen, and the management had not taken time to interview other draftsmen and replace them. The laxity of the company to employ new draftsmen shows a big gap in the managerial position since the management is not taking its roles seriously. It does not value the work they partake.


Contractual Issues


Engineers are essential when it comes to analyzing, planning and designing infrastructure that people take for granted in both urban and rural areas. The infrastructure includes a water supply system, transportation system, and shopping structures. Collectively, engineering jobs result in a wide variety of engineers. Today, engineers make sure that they use the latest technologies in finding solutions important to safety facilities and management of hazardous waste (Jannadiaa, O, 2000).


In this case study, there are several contractual issues brought out. Let's take for instance the Bayswater Shopping Complex project. At the start of the project, there was an engineer who was overseeing the project but suddenly resigned leaving the project at stake. To counter this problem, the company had to assign a team to deal with the project. Dumping the project and resigning is a contractual issue since it affected the continuity of the project. It is obvious that there was a gap of time that elapsed before the second team which was to pick over the project was formed.


Moreover, there was a contractual issue when the company lost two qualified draftsmen. If for instance the draftsmen were hired under a contract, it is evident that the contract had been breached. The draftsmen who remained were not enough and therefore drawing of designs was slow. In this case, many contracts were not completed on time, and the clients could question the competence of the company. This caused there to be concurrent delays and liquidated damages.


The new team which was formed could incur more expenses to hasten the project. In this case, there was additional cost claims and acceleration which was not necessary for such kind of a project. It was evident that time was also not enough hence the formation of a new team with more members. This could mean extensions of time inconveniencing the immediate consumers of the Bayswater Shopping complex.


Ethical Issues


If you ever find yourself in a difficult situation, the only to get out of the situation is doing right. By doing right, it means you value ethics and self-respect. As an engineer, you need to maintain ethics of the highest order. Ethics stand as a cornerstone of engineering and is a primary element of differentiating any professional. Ethics does not entail avoiding making wrong decisions but also choosing the right decisions. Due to this, the significant contribution of engineers in the present society invokes an essential duty of an engineer to act ethically. Commonly, an engineer should demonstrate integrity. This entails being trustworthy and honest, acting on a basis of well-informed conscience and the respect of dignity for all persons. Engineers should also be able to practice their skills in a competent manner. Exercising of leadership is paramount when one is a practicing engineer since at times you many need to uphold a good reputation (Code of Ethics, Engineers Australia).


There has been a strong tradition of ethics in the field of engineering in Australia. Many parastatals around the country oblige their subordinates to demonstrate the commitment to ethical practices. In some countries, engineers have to take an oath and put on a ring as a perpetual reminder of their ethical, profession and moral commitment to their work (Charles, J, 2015).


In our report, many ethical issues have been brought out depicting what is wrong and what should be done. It is right to say that Tim had held on ethics as the drive in his career. When Tim leaves the Baily Brothers, they feel sorry though they view it as an opportunity to further his career. No ill feeling is left with the management whatsoever. However, what could have happened if Tim left without any notice?


The engineer who was overseeing the Bayswater Shopping Complex resigned and left the project in progress. It is right to say that the engineer was unethical since he never gave any notice of his departure. In response, the Grand Star Company begins a rush of making a perfect replacement forming a team where Tim is one of the members. Leaving the project without completion might show disrespect of the engineer to the company in the highest order. This might also depict incompetence, and the company's picture might have been tainted in the market.


An ethical issue has been brought out when Tim finds that a design they had once used in the Baily Brothers Company four years before was being used for the Bayswater Shopping Complex. This can be outlined as fraud since that was a stolen design. Moreover, people would question the competence of the draftsmen in the Grand Star Company due to the "stolen design."


Recommendations


For one to become a manager as well as an engineer, one has to rise through ranks depending on how they handle their job. Furthermore becoming a manager while still in another profession is a practical move when you put into consideration that businesses in the present day have increasingly become more technologized. If a manager does not understand the technical part, it will be difficult for them to make the right call. However, when an engineer is also a manager, he will be able to handle two professions at hand.


The main challenge of being an instrumental engineer is that it does not translate into becoming a great leader. Therefore, leadership is not inborn but a skill that it developed as life advances. For engineers to become good managers, they can follow the recipe below.


Develop empathy and adopt a business mindset


It is not right to view management as a form of engineering lens. You need to focus on "how" and not "why." As a contributor to any business, you are required to indulge in every depth of the business and make an impact in the different levels. When you become a manager, you don't have the luxury of waiting for things to be done but taking a step and doing the things. This translates to all decisions while considering all factors that affect the business.


Adopt a Solution Mindset


New managers do struggle to understand how to approach problems out of their direct control. However, changes in the manager's decision are straightforward in implementation. As an engineer who is also a manager, you need not to give up early. You need to overcome any obstacle outside your control. It can mean breaking boundaries to another department to adopt a new process as part of the change.


Earn Trust and Build a Network


As a necessity, any company needs to divide employees into different departments as a way of managing any organization. These departments exist so that managers can be able to manage their business. However, most businesses do not fit neatly into the organizational boundaries. Furthermore, good managements need an organizational chart which will steer their way in the management of any business. Nonetheless, this requires building a network that is strong.


Comprehend Perception is Reality


It is essential that engineers who want to become managers' focus on growing their technical skills. Promotion dawns on measurable and tangible achievements. Once you delve into management, all that changes and success starts being based on abstract attributes like communication ability and teamwork.


Adopt a mindset of operations


Effective leadership entails the ability to make a difference and build a crucial component of success. However, new managers primarily focus on the initial rollout and fail to consider on how to support the entire program in the in the long run. When someone adopts an operations mindset, it helps them overcome mistakes. It also helps them to support the program to run throughout its entire life (Bennet, J, 2016).


Conclusion


In conclusion, value engineers are easily transformed into instrumental managers. Through risk management and innovative excellence, engineers do pose numerous attributes required for managerial skills. Being a manager means being good to people as well as giving clear direction to the subordinates. However, some of the attributes do not seem to come naturally but requires fairness and making decisions promptly.


When a manager possesses such qualities, he will be able to counter contractual, ethical and management issues in the most capable way.


References


Bennet, J. (2016). When Engineers become managers: How to be a great technical leader. Retrieved on January 9, 2018 from https://venturebeat.com/2016/07/31/when-engineers-become-managers-how-to-be-a-great-technical-leader/


Nathan, S. (2012). Do Engineer’s Make Good Managers? Retrieved on January 9, 2018 from https://www.theengineer.co.uk/issues/2-april-2012/do-engineers-make-good-managers/


Joseph, S. (1985). Engineers as Managers. Retrieved on January 9, 2018 from https://ascelibrary.org/doi/abs/10.1061/(ASCE)9742-597X(1985)1:2(105)


Jannadiaa, O. (2000). Contractual Methods for Dispute Avoidance and Resolution. Retrieved on January 9, 2018 from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0263786398000702


Charles, J. (2015). Civil Engineering Ethics Toolkit-“Say No.” Retrieved on January 9, 2018 from https://www.ice.org.uk/knowledge-and-resources/best-practice/civil-engineering-ethics-toolkit

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