21st Century Manufacturing Supervisors and Their Historical Roots

Autor/in	Hotek, Douglas R.
Titel	21st Century Manufacturing Supervisors and Their Historical Roots
Quelle	In: Journal of Technology Studies, 29 (2003) 1, S.10-18 (5 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1071-6084
Schlagwörter	Employees; Job Performance; Manufacturing; Supervisors; Leadership; Automation; Administrator Responsibility; Administrator Role; Technological Advancement; Influence of Technology + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Employee; Arbeitnehmer; Beschäftigter; Work performance; Arbeitsleistung; Herstellung; Führung; Führungsposition; Technological development; Technologische Entwicklung
Abstract	This article provides a perspective of the past and present roles of the manufacturing supervisor with a specific focus on new skills requirements. Within the structure of manufacturing management, the supervisor plays a key role in implementing today's complex automated manufacturing technologies. The supervisor is at the bottom of the management pyramid--the one with upfront responsibility for machines, equipment, and tools, and for those who use them to produce a product. Because many manufacturing firms use automation technologies in their competitive strategy, production employees must know the meaning of the latest acronyms and they must be technologically literate in them. These complex requirements in employee-technology relationships have made an impact on the role of supervision. It has changed from that of directing and controlling employees to that of effectively leading the improvement of employee performance. This new leadership role for supervisors can best be understood in a historical context of evolving manufacturing technologies, workforce characteristics, and skills used. This is presented in two parts. The first is a historical perspective of the supervisor's job and how it has changed during the 20th century. The second section describes the supervisor's job in the context of modern-day complexities. (Contains 1 note.) (ERIC).
Anmerkungen	Epsilon Pi Tau. International Office, Technology Building, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH 43403-0296. Tel: 419-372-2425; Fax: 419-372-9502; e-mail: ept@bgsu.edu; Web site: http://eptglobal.org
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10