M.S. IN SYSTEMS ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT: A PROPOSAL FOR
ANEW PROGRAM
M. Kudret Yurtseven, Nureddin Kyrkavak, Haluk S. Balkan,
Ferda C. Cetinkaya and Yavuz Giinalay
Department of Industrial Engineering, Eastern Mediterranean University,
Gazi Magosa, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
Abstract
This paper summarizes the main features of an interdisciplinary M.S. program in Systems Engineering
Management, proposed by the Department of Industrial Engineering at Eastern Mediterranean University, North
Cyprus. First, the reasons and justification for the proposal are stated; this is followed by the formulation of the
program objectives and the description of the major aspects of the Curriculum.
Introduction
Rapid changes in technology and the socio-economic structure of the World appear to create highly complex
problems which require integrated solutions that place environment, health and safety at the forefront of research,
forcing reforms in engineering education philosophy. It seems that there will be a shift in engineering education,
highly likely in a direction recommended by the Engineering Directorate, the National Science Foundation (NSF) of
USA . The following is the major recommendation that was developed in a workshop organized by the Peden and
Ernst (1995) : ".....systemic change in engineering education will require a concurrent change from the predominant
engineering school academic culture based on compartmentalization of knowledge, individual specialization, and a
research-based reward structure to one that values integration as well as specialization, teamwork as well as
individual achievement, and educational research and innovation as well as research in engineering sciences".
Similar views have been expressed by many researchers, including Todd (1996), Singh (1996), Kocaoglu (1995),
Badawy (1995) and Shenbar (1994, 1997). The emergence of Engineering Management type programs can be
viewed as one of the a strong indicators for this change. Kocaoglu (1995), the President of the IEEE Engineering
Management Society, discusses this issue in a short article. In the past, engineering graduates had no choice but to
enrol into an MBA (Master of Business Administration) program if they had any interest in the management area.
Nowadays, they have to make a choice among an MBA, or an MEM (Master of Engineering Management), or an
MOT ( Management of Technology Management) type of a program. Badawy (1995) presents quite an informing
comparative study on these three types of programs. He suggests that neither the MBA nor the MEM programs have
the appropriate orientation to educate engineers and technologists for a future carrier in the management of
technology . His reasoning is that the MBA will add value in knowledge development but not necessarily skill
development, and that the trust of the MEM programs are not broad enough to cover the spectrum of issues and
intricacies of managing technology as a strategic corporate resource. He favors MOT programs since he believes
that managing technology is an integrative process, and that MOT is not a functional activity like engineering
management; rather it focuses on integrating the technology side of the house (i.e., R&D, engineering,
manufacturing, etc.) with the business side of the house (i.e., marketing, finance, human resources, etc.), hence has
a strategic and integrative trust. Our view in these matters is as follows: although the MOT programs are better in the
coverage of engineering and technological concepts, compared to the MBA programs, they still do not provide
sufficient depth in this respect, hence an MEM type of a program is preferable. Furthermore, we think that the MEM
programs are more suitable for semi-industrialized countries, such as Turkey; the MOT programs seem to be
oriented towards needs of countries with highly complex industries. No program in Systems Engineering
Management (SEM) exists in the Mediterranean Region and in the Middle East, and indeed there are a few in the
world (Shenbar, 1994). Hence, it is the belief of the faculty of Industrial Engineering Department that the
establishment of such a program will attract many students from different countries and will make significant
contributions to the educational and research activities in our university, and enhance the international reputation of
EMU. In order to evaluate the interest of our senior engineering students, the Department has designed and
distributed a questionnaire (Yurtseven, et al 1996). The results indicate that there is a fairly strong interest among
students in an interdisciplinary MS program, in particular in a SEM type of a program. The most striking reason in
this interest seems to be the competitive edge the program will provide to its graduates in the job market.
The Program Objectives
A general description of a SEM program is given by Shenbar (1994). He views a systems engineer as a person who
is capable of integrating knowledge from different disciplines and seeing problems with a holistic view by applying
systems approach. Since no system is created by a single person, he claims, systems engineering is strongly linked
to management, hence he identifies his proposed program as SEM. The origins of Systems Engineering can be
traced to the large military and space development programs in the 1950s and 1960s. Today, however, it has wider
applications in various branches of industry and society. It is seen as an effective means of integrating distinct
disciplines and technologies into an overall complicated purpose. Designing, operating and controlling complex
systems always requires an engineering part as well as a managerial part. The importance and the closeness of the
relationship between the systems engineering function and the program management function can not be
overemphasized. Systems engineers often become program managers and many such managers perform systems
engineering duties; both positions are part of the same career ladder (Shenbar,1996). The program presented in this
paper is strongly influenced by Shenbar's approach, although some ideas have also been borrowed from the MEM
programs. The Curriculum is prepared to accommodate all non-industrial engineering graduates; some special
requirements may be imposed on the graduates of industrial engineering departments. The graduates of the
program are expected to: (1) recognize operational needs, identify market and technological opportunities, forecast
the development of operational and technological processes; (2) formulate new concepts and devise system
solution capability of analyzing and designing large-scale systems while integrating various disciplines; (3) manage
projects of design and development of systems while considering the aspects of cost, quality, reliability,
manufacturing, marketing, maintenance, service, and an overall view of the system's life cycle.
The Curriculum
To achieve the above stated objectives, the curriculum is directed towards achieving the following components of
knowledge and skills: holistic thinking capability and conceptual analysis; methodologies for performing systems
engineering management in its various stages; analytical, mathematical, and statistical tools that are used for
systems analysis, systems design, and systems problem-solving; basic principles and theory in different
technological and engineering disciplines; economic, financial and other non-technical managerial and business
disciplinary areas that are relevant to systems engineering; interpersonal skills; leadership, organization and
administrative skills. The courses have been designed to cover the following five components that are considered to
be essential in a SEM program (Shenbar, 1994). (1) basic studies, (2) disciplinary studies, (3) specific systems, (4)
systems engineering-concepts, and tools, and, (5) management studies. The proposed curriculum is given below:
First Semester: SEM 501 Systems Engineering (3,0) 3
SEM 511 Modeling and Analysis of Systems (3,0) 3
MGMT XXX Systems Management (3,0) 3
XXXX XXX Technical Elective (3,0) 3
SEM 500 M.S. Thesis
Second Semester: SEM 532 Topics in Production Management (3,0) 3
SEM 552 Current Issues in Technology Management (3,0) 3
ECON XXX Economics and Finance for Engineering (3,0) 3
XXXX XXXX Technical Elective (3,0) 3
SEM 500 M.S. Thesis
Fundamentals of Systems Engineering will be taught in SEM 501. The course on Systems Modelling and Analysis
will cover mostly Operations Research and Mathematical Programming topics. Production Management and
Technology Management will be taught from an Industrial Engineering point of view. The courses on Systems
Management and Economics and Finance for Engineering will complement the management component of the
course. The students will be given the opportunity to take two elective courses in their areas of interest, whether it is
engineering or management. Some technical elective courses to be offered by the Industrial Engineering
Department are as follows:
System Design, Cognitive Systems Engineering, Knowledge-based Engineering Systems, Decision Analysis,
Human Factors Management, Ethics in Engineering, Applications in Mathematical Programming and Optimization,
Advanced Topics in Inventory Planning and Control, Advanced Manufacturing Technologies, Service Systems,
R&D Management and Technology Transfer, Legal Environment, Systems Dynamics, Artifical Intelligence and
Expert Systems, Forecasting and Time Series Analysis, Recent Topics in Quality Management, Design and
Analysis of Experiments, Research in IE, Reliability Engineering, Multi-Attribute Decision Making, Technology
Management, Network Analysis and Project Management.
Conclusions
The interdisciplinary MS program proposed in this study is expected to attract considerable number of engineering
graduates who wish to educate themselves in management, but find MBA programs too detached from technology.
The program has fairly strong roots in engineering, but it also covers system management aspects properly. It is
hoped that the graduates of the program will be the leaders of designers, operators and controllers of complex
human-machine systems in the global market.
References
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Kocaoglu, D. 1995. Growth of Engineering and Technology Management. /EEE Transactions on Engineering
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Peden, I.C., Ernst, E.W. (Co-Chairs) 1995. Systemic Engineering Education Reform: An Action Agenda,
Recommendations of a Workshop Convened by the NSF Engineering Directorate. Arlington, Virginia, USA.
Shenbar, A. 1994. Systems Engineering Management: A Framework for the Development of a Multidisciplinary
Discipline. IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man and Cybernetics. (24)2:327-332.
Shenbar, A. 1997. The New Taxonomy of Systems; Toward an Adaptive Systems Engineering framework. IEEE
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Singh, A. 1996. Examination of an Emerging Consciousness in Engineering Management. Journal of Management
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Todd, M. J. 1996. 21st Century Leadership and Technology. Journal of Management in Engineering, (July/August):
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Yurtseven, M.K., Kyrkavak, N., Balkan, H.S., M.S. in Systems Engineering Management: A New Program Proposed
by Department of Industrial Engineering, 1996. Internal Report No-IE IR01-96, Department of Industrial Engineering,
Eastern Mediterranean University, G-Magusa, North Cyprus.
ISDC'97 CD Sponsor igs Ol heed
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