In many small and medium-sized private enterprises, industrial engineers (IEs) are often overlooked or undervalued. There are a number of reasons behind this phenomenon, not the least of which is the lack of knowledge and awareness of IE among business leaders. IE teams often don't have enough executive power in these businesses and therefore have to build their influence through other means.
This article will take a look at why many small and medium-sized private enterprise owners do not pay attention to IE, and the key methods needed to establish the influence of IE.
To address why IEs are often overlooked, we first need to understand the role of the Industrial Engineer (IE) in the enterprise. Industrial engineers are responsible for optimizing and improving a company's production and operational processes, increasing efficiency and reducing costs. They help businesses achieve these goals by analyzing data, identifying problems, and providing solutions.
Industrial engineers can also participate in all-hands activities, working with workers to solve problems and improve the work environment. They can lead team members through training and improve the skill level of their employees. Industrial engineers can also work with the management of the business to make strategic recommendations for operational improvements that help SMEs become more competitive.
Conventional wisdom is also one of the reasons why IE is neglected. In some small and medium-sized businesses, bosses tend to focus more on departments related to sales, marketing, and finance equals direct revenue, and view IE as a "back-office" or "supportive" department. This notion makes the importance of IE not fully recognized.
There are differences in the importance of industrial engineers in small and medium-sized enterprises. While SMEs face issues such as lack of capital and staffing, it does not mean that they generally do not value industrial engineers. In fact, according to the search results, there are some small and medium-sized enterprises that recognize the value of industrial engineers and are willing to work with them. For example, some SMEs use the knowledge of industrial engineers to improve production efficiency and management capabilities.
In addition, SMEs are aware of the important role of industrial engineers in helping to optimize business operations and increase competitiveness. However, due to the constraints faced by SMEs, they may be more inclined to provide a platform for large enterprises to grow. As a result, the importance of industrial engineers in SMEs varies depending on the size and needs of the business.
To change the way bosses think about industrial engineer IE, the IE team needs to demonstrate their professionalism and expertise by achieving superior results and benefits. It is only through good results that the IE team will be able to demonstrate its professionalism and thus increase its persuasiveness and impact.
In addition to achieving results, IE teams need to learn to communicate in the right ways and means. They should convey their professionalism and good results to their bosses and other departments to increase their recognition and importance for IE.
Building the impact of IE is a process that takes time and patience. IE teams should be good at using every opportunity to demonstrate their value and expertise. Through persistent efforts, they can gradually win the recognition of their boss and other departments, thereby enhancing IE's status and influence.
The reason why the owners of small and medium-sized private enterprises do not pay attention to IE is mainly because of the lack of understanding and awareness of IE, as well as the constraints of traditional concepts. However, by achieving superior results, proper communication, and consistent effort, the IE team can gradually build its influence and elevate IE's position in the business.
In addition, there is a close relationship between industrial engineer IE and lean management [1]. Industrial Engineer (IE) is an engineering discipline that focuses on optimizing production processes and resource utilization, while Lean Management is a management approach that aims to improve productivity and quality by eliminating waste and increasing efficiency.
One of the core tasks of an industrial engineer IE is to reduce costs, improve efficiency and improve quality by analyzing and improving production processes. They use engineering techniques and data analytics to optimize production processes to minimize waste and redundancies. Lean management provides a set of effective tools and methods to help industrial engineers achieve this goal.
Lean management emphasizes making the best use of available resources, optimizing production processes, and reducing waste. It provides a range of principles and tools, such as value stream mapping, 5S, continuous improvement, and teamwork, among others, for identifying and eliminating various types of waste. With the help of these lean management tools and methods, industrial engineers can perform in-depth analysis and improvement of production processes to achieve higher levels of efficiency and quality.
Therefore, IE for Industrial Engineers and Lean Management are complementary to each other. Industrial Engineer IE utilizes the principles and methods of Lean Management to optimize production processes, while Lean Management provides a set of practices and guidance for Industrial Engineer IE to achieve continuous improvement and efficiency gains. This close relationship enables Industrial Engineer IE to better apply the concept of lean management to improve production efficiency and quality.