Engineers as managers-a conceptual model of transition

Summary form only given. This study reports on the findings of a research study on the transition of engineers into management roles in Australia. In this research, a case study method is followed by a questionnaire survey. Several propositions/hypotheses were developed from extensive interviews with senior engineers and engineer-managers in case study organizations and literature review. A large survey of professional engineers in Australia was conducted test the generalizability of the case study and review findings. Based on the analysis of empirical data generated from the survey, a conceptual model for the transition of engineers has been proposed considering these factors. This model depicts individual, educational and organizational factors influencing this transition, and the simultaneous influence of societal factors on all of them. According to this model, individual, educational and organizational factors influence the process of transition and as well as each other, within the overarching influence of societal factors