Understanding engineering work and identity: a cross-case analysis of engineers within six firms
Understanding engineering work and identity: a cross-case analysis of engineers within six firms
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DOI：
10.1080/19378629.2010.519772
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发表时间：
2010-01-01
影响因子：
1.7
通讯作者：
Nicometo, Christine G.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Anderson, Kevin John Boyett;Courter, Sandra Shaw;Nicometo, Christine G.
为了让工程师更好地进入一个动态的技术和经济环境，教育工作者必须提高他们对工程师广泛工作及其所需的灵活技能的理解。为此，我们研究了六家不同规模和行业的公司的工程实践。我们分析了这些地点的工程实践的异同，并收集了在这些地点成为工程师意味着什么的叙述性例子。我们的数据显示，不同网站的相似之处多于不同之处。尽管职场文化不同，但大多数工程师对工作的看法是相似的。他们认为自己的工作是解决问题，几乎总是在明确组织的团队中或在与其他人的非正式合作中完成。工程师认为，清晰的沟通是最重要的技能，预算和时间限制通常被认为是最重要的限制。工程师通常更看重解决问题、学习和团队合作，而不是工作的其他方面。这种对工程工作的理解可以用来更好地为员工配备工程师，并改进组织实践。
To better equip engineers to enter a dynamic technological and economic environment, educators must improve their understanding of the wide-ranging work of engineers and the flexible skills it demands. To that end, we studied engineering practice in six firms of varying size and industry. We analyzed the similarities and differences of engineering practice across these sites, and gathered narrative examples of what it means to be an engineer at these locations. Our data indicates more similarities across sites than differences. Although workplace cultures differed, most engineers saw their work similarly. They saw their work as problem solving, almost always done in explicitly organized teams or in informal collaboration with others. Engineers cited clear communication as the most important skill, with budgets and time limitations generally noted as the most significant constraints. Engineers generally valued solving a problem, learning, and working in a team more than other aspects of their jobs. This understanding of engineering work can be used to better equip engineers for the workforce and improve organizational practices.