Writing Assignment #2 - F23 - IE 20000

IE 20000 - Industrial Engineering Seminar Fall 2023 Writing Assignment #2 Due Date: October 26 th by 11:59 PM EST For this writing assignment, the following learning objectives and areas will be covered: Learning Objectives: 2. Have a good understanding of the field of industrial engineering; and 3. Have a good understanding of basic engineering ethics. Areas of Reflection: 2. Knowledge of the discipline 3. Personal and professional development 4. Broader context of industry(-ies) Assignment requirements: 1. Should be submitted in Brightspace as a single document with your name at the top. The organization of the document is up to the student, but the prompts chosen must be clearly identified. 2. There will be a total of five (5) writing prompts that connect to the areas and learning objectives listed above. At least one prompt must be selected from each area of reflection. a. The first prompt for each writing assignment is reflecting on the corresponding required Mentor Discussion (e.g., the first prompt for Writing Assignment #1 will reflect on Mentor Discussion #1). b. The remaining four (4) prompts can be chosen from the selection of prompts listed below. 3. The document must include a bibliography of resources used in reflecting on the prompts. You are expected to follow an accepted standard for formatting the citations (APA, IEEE, etc.) For information on citation format please visit the Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL): https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/purdue_owl.html 4. You may propose your own reading resources or prompt(s) to replace one or more of the four (4) selective prompts, but they must be approved by the instructional staff at least two (2) days before the writing assignment deadline. *Note: prompts are in no particular order. Mandatory Mentor Discussion Reflection: 1. What did you and your mentor group discuss? 2. How did your perspective and/or opinions differ from others in your group? 3. What did you learn and how might you implement this new knowledge in the future?

IE 20000 - Industrial Engineering Seminar Fall 2023 Select 4 prompts from the following two areas, with at least one prompt from each area. Prompts for Area 2: Knowledge of the discipline Note: For some of these prompts, you would want to have your own definition of IE, or use the perspective of the School to inform your responses. 1. Consider the article “The chameleons of engineering” by Howenstein 1 . Why did you select IE as a major? How does it correlate with the description of IEs given in the article? 2. IE is known to have a different technical focus than many of the other engineering disciplines. Based on the perspective of the presenters (at the point of submitting this assignment), how might it impact your career? 3. How does an IE background provide a springboard to higher level business roles such as COO/CEO? 4. Consider the article “The calm and the chaos” by Denton 2 and the perspective of the presenters (at the point of submitting this assignment). Why are IEs uniquely suited to work between functions, and how might that lead to potentially “uncomfortable” situations that require skill to navigate successfully. 5. One subarea of IE is known as “Operations Research” (OR). Visit the website: https://www.informs.org/Resource-Center/INFORMS-Student-Union/Career-FAQs#Q1 , which contains an FAQ about OR (and the related topic of Analytics). Pick one or two sections and highlight what you find most interesting about the application of OR/Analytics to real-world problems. 6. Read the articles “The evolution of analytics” by Harsha Rao and Deepali Jain 3 and “Defining analytics: a conceptual framework” by Robert Rose 4 . Answer the following: a. How is analytics connected to operations research and IE? b. How will it impact potential career paths for IEs? 7. Consider the article “What is Systems Engineering?” by Valerdi 5 . Considering the different areas within IE, provide a perspective on the importance of systems (engineering) thinking. 8. Read the following articles: a. http://www.mayo.edu/research/centers-programs/robert-d-patricia-e-kern-center- science-health-care-delivery/about/about-science-of-health-care-delivery b. “Engineering tomorrow’s healthcare” by Eisenhauer 6 Considering the articles, describe why the healthcare system is complex. In addition, describe how IEs play a role in the improvement of the delivery of care. 1 Howenstine, R. (2016). The chameleons of engineering. ISE Magazine, May, 34-39. 2 Denton, D.K. (2015). The calm and the chaos. Industrial Engineer , April, 42-46. 3 H. Rao and D. Jain (2013). The evolution of analytics. ORMS Today , 40(6). Retrieved from: https://www.informs.org/ORMS-Today/Public-Articles/December-Volume-40-Number-6/The-evolution-of- analytics 4 Rose, R. (2016). Defining analytics: a conceptual framework. ORMS Today , 43(3), Retrieved from: https://www.informs.org/ORMS-Today/Public-Articles/June-Volume-43-Number-3/Defining-analytics-a- conceptual-framework 5 Valerdi, R. (2012). What is Systems Engineering? ISE Magazine , 44(2), 30. 6 Eisenhauer, W. (2013). Engineering tomorrow’s healthcare. Industrial Engineer , 45(4), April, 22.

IE 20000 - Industrial Engineering Seminar Fall 2023 b. What is your career aspiration(s), and why? (For example, Become a CEO of a Multi-national company). If you do not have a career aspiration, that’s OK, but you should reflect on why you do not and what option(s) you have considered up to now. c. How would/should your aspiration, or lack there-of, influence decisions you make throughout your career? How would they influence your approach to interacting, or otherwise considering the perspectives, with (of) the guest speakers in this course? d. What is the purpose of higher education? What factors have influenced or shaped your response? 6. Considering the responses from the student panel, provide examples of developmental tasks that could be undertaken as a Purdue student. In particular, highlight how these developmental opportunities could benefit you as a student looking for employment. 7. Create a “User Manual for Me” based on the 2017 article by Cassie Robinson ( https://cassierobinson.medium.com/a-user-manual-for-me-d3a851fbc694 ). 8. Consider the article “Hone Your Brand Believability and Style” by Gold and Sink 11 . What are elements that become part of your personal brand? What steps can you take to develop your brand, and which do you think you will need to work on most as your progress in the program? 9. Write out your elevator pitch and practice with at least two people. a. What feedback did they give you? b. Did you make any adjustments? If so, what is your new elevator pitch? 10. Present a narrative of a potential study abroad experience for yourself. Specifically, select a program (any from the Purdue Study Abroad website) and describe why it is a good fit for you and how you would develop yourself before, during, and after the program to ensure maximum impact. 11. Read the article “How to Gain Credibility When You Have Little Experience” by Andy Molinsky and Jake Newfield 12 . A significant amount of corporate work requires the ability to work across functional boundaries, and perhaps even geographic boundaries. Considering the perspective of the presenters (at the point of submitting this assignment), what strengths do IEs potentially have in this regard? How can you build even more capability in the early stages of your career to complement your undergraduate education? 12. Describe developmental activities you have completed (or are participating in to-date). a. Why are these activities important to you? b. How did you select them? c. What is their contribution to your development as an Industrial Engineer? d. To your overall development? 11 Gold, B. and D.S. Sink (2017). Hone your brand, believability and style. ISE Magazine , June, 28-33. 12 Molinsky, A. and J. Newfield (2017). How to Gain Credibility When You Have Little Experience. Harvard Business Review , 95(5), Sept./Oct. Retrieved from: https://hbr.org/2017/10/how-to-gain-credibility-when- you-have-little-experience.

IE 20000 - Industrial Engineering Seminar Fall 2023 13. Read “Getting Started in the Right Direction: Expert Advice for Preparing for Your Professional Career” by Shapiro et al. 13 . Considering the perspectives of the authors, and of the presenters (at the point of submitting this assignment), argue for why IEs who develop themselves well will allow for opportunities they might not otherwise have thought possible? 14. Read “Your Career Needs Many Mentors, Not Just One” by Dorie Clark 14 . Based on the article and a selected, describe why multiple mentors are beneficial. What knowledge about yourself do you need to have to appropriately develop criteria for selecting potential mentors? 15. Read the article “Are you ready? How to prepare for reality: the ins and outs for young professional engineers” by Christina Kach 15 . a. Which specific points from the article have been articulated by the alumni guest speakers throughout the semester? b. Which points have been articulated more often and/or with more emphasis? 16. Read the Code of Ethics from the National Society of Professional Engineers 16 . In addition, read the article “Cambridge Analytica, influencing elections and the INFORMS Ethics Guidelines” by Hunt and Messinger 17 , 18 . Given the content of the code, comment on the following statements: a. “Ethics is not simply personal opinion” b. “There is always more than one alternative” c. “There is always a lack of complete information” In addition, comment on why engineers have such a strict code of ethics to abide by. Use specific examples from the guest speakers where possible. 17. Read the article by “Don’t Dread the Documentation” by Theresa Barker 19 . Describe the importance of “showing your work” as an IE when solving problems in industry. Be sure to incorporate ideas from the article as to how to make this process easier and more impactful. 18. Read the article “Turning Potential Into Success” by Fernandez-Araoz et al. 20 . Identify the most crucial competencies (skills) that are important for success in industry. Use the perspectives shared by the guest speaker, and the content of the article. a. Which of the above skills do you feel are already your strengths? 13 Shapiro, R.G., Andre, A.D., Beith, B.H., Entin, E.B., and B.M. Legin (2003). Getting Started in the Right Direction: Expert Advice for Preparing for Your Professional Career. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 47th Annual Meeting , 1791-1795. 14 Clark, D. (2017). Your Career Needs Many Mentors, Not Just One. Harvard Business Review . Accessed from: https://hbr.org/2017/01/your-career-needs-many-mentors-not-just-one 15 Kach, C. (2015). Are You Ready?: How to prepare for reality. Industrial Engineer , Oct., 31 - 35. 16 Accessible here: https://www.nspe.org/resources/ethics/code-ethics 17 Hunt, D. and Messinger, P.R. (2018). Cambridge Analytica, influencing elections and the INFORMS Ethics Guidelines. ORMS Today , October, 24-29. 18 It may also be useful to consider the INFORMS Ethics Guidelines: https://www.informs.org/About- INFORMS/Governance/INFORMS-Ethics-Guidelines ; and, the Code of Ethics from HFES for additional perspective from disciplinary sub-areas of IE. 19 Barker, T. (2016). Don’t Dread the Documentation. IISE Magazine , Aug., 37-41. 20 Fernandez-Araoz, C., Roscoe, A., and Aramaki, K. (2017). Turning Potential into Success: The Missing Link in Leadership Development. Harvard Business Review, 95(6), Nov./Dec., 86-93 .

IE 20000 - Industrial Engineering Seminar Fall 2023 Prompts for Area 4: Broader context of industry(-ies) 1. How might an IE impact a [pick a relevant company or industry of interest 25 ] company? From your perspective, what are potential systems issues with providing [products/services] capable of being sold around the world? 2. Read/reconsider the articles “Fixing your supply chain with big data” by Alexander Klein 26 and “Keys to stellar supply chain management” by Diana Berry 27 . In addition, consider the article “Is It Time To Rethink Globalized Supply Chains” by Wily Shih 28 . Considering the content of the article, describe why supply chains are complex, and why IEs are the key to the success of a supply chain. 3. Read the articles “The Rise of the Technical Professional” by Tankersley 29 and “We don’t need more STEM majors. We need more STEM majors with liberal arts training” by Jackson-Hayes 30 and consider the following perspective: A common criticism of engineering is that those educated as engineers are too narrowly trained (i.e., that engineers are trained for the design of a narrow set of systems - mechanical, electrical, etc.), yet the greatest challenges that will require technical solutions (both from a societal and economic perspective) appear to require a more complex interdisciplinary skill set 31 . Many argue that reemphasizing the humanities/liberal arts is one way to generate the next generation of technical professionals. Provide a perspective, based on the above articles indicating why IEs, in particular, may benefit from liberal arts training. You may also find it beneficial to revisit perspectives shared by Prof. Son, if you can remember his presentation. Disclaimer 32 : We often receive pushback from students who disagree with the notion of the humanities/liberal arts having any value whatsoever. While that is an opinion worth debating, this question is about making a case for why a broader education may be valuable since it is the belief of the IE advising staff that taking your entire set of coursework seriously is critical. So, you may have to justify a perspective you don’t agree with. 25 For instance, you might choose “consumer packaged goods” (an example would be P&G. Or, perhaps you like logistics, so UPS or FedEx would be candidates... 26 Klein, A. (2017). Fixing your supply chain with big data. ISE Magazine , Sept. 39-43. 27 Berry, D. (2017). Keys to stellar supply chain management. ISE Magazine , Aug. 42-46. 28 Shih, W. (2020). Is It Time to Rethink Globalized Supply Chains? MIT Sloan Management Review, 61(4), Summer, 29 Tankersley, K. (2013). The Rise of the Technical Professional. Industrial Engineer, 45(12), 40-44. 30 Jackson-Hayes, L. (2015). “We don’t need more STEM majors. We need more STEM majors with liberal arts training.” The Washington Post, 2/18/2015. Accessed from: https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/02/18/we-dont-need-more-stem-majors-we- need-more-stem-majors-with-liberal-arts-training/ . 31 For example, see the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals , or the Grand Challenges identified by the National Academy of Engineering. 32 Fun Fact: About 45% of Fortune 500 CEOs have Engineering or Business degrees (roughly 33% engineering, 12% business). About 33% were liberal arts/humanities majors. Interesting web articles: http://time.com/3964415/ceo-degree-liberal-arts/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2014/09/05/employees-who-stand-out/#1bab0b6c69b0

IE 20000 - Industrial Engineering Seminar Fall 2023 4. Describe the importance of manufacturing to a state economy (e.g., Indiana’s economy). Consider data from the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) 33 , and the article “Making It: Revolutionary Processes Stir Hope of a U.S. Industrial Revival” by Grose 34 when constructing your answer. 5. Read the article by Klaus Schwab “The Fourth Industrial Revolution: what it means, how to respond” 35 . Provide a perspective incorporating elements from the article and the guest presenters on how IEs will likely need to adapt to change, and how IEs will likely be drivers of change throughout industry. 6. Why are IEs specially suited to change leadership in complex systems? This is an especially broad question, the following articles are examples of the type that may be beneficial to consider before generating a response: a. Wilson, H.J. and Daughtery, P.R. (2018). Humans and AI are Joining Forces. Harvard Business Review , 96(4), July/Aug., 114-123. b. Porter, M.E. and Heppelmann, J.E. (2014). How Smart, Connected Products Are Transforming Competition. Harvard Business Review , 92(11), November, 65-88. c. Porter, M.E. and Heppelmann, J.E. (2015). How Smart, Connected Products are Transforming Companies. Harvard Business Review , 93(10), October, 97-114. d. Kolhatkar, S. (2017). Dark Factory. The New Yorker , Oct. 23, 70-81. e. Denton, D.K. (2015). The Calm and the Chaos. Industrial Engineer , April, 42-46. f. Chahim, D. (2018). Engineers Don’t Solve Problems. Logic Magazine , 5, August. Accessed from: https://logicmag.io/failure/engineers-dont-solve-problems/ . 7. Read the articles “Unintended Consequences of Machine Learning in Medicine” by Cabitza et al. 36 and “Manufacturing Smarter” by LaSelle 37 . Identify opportunities and trade-offs that will likely need to be made as industry moves to more advanced modeling and decision making methods. What role will IEs likely play in ensuring the long-term success of these approaches? 8. Read “On looking into the futures” by James Dator 38 and “The Future and How to Survive It” by Dobbs et al. 39 . Provide a perspective, considering the comments of the guest speakers and the readings, on how your career as you presently envision it will be impacted by the rapidly changing technological landscape. How might the skills you obtain in IE be beneficial for this future? 33 http://www.nam.org/Data-and-Reports/State-Manufacturing-Data/ 34 Grose, T.K. (2011). Making It: Revolutionary Manufacturing Processes Stir Hope of a U.S. Industrial Revival. Prism , November, 28-33. 35 Article available here: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/01/the-fourth-industrial-revolution-what-it- means-and-how-to-respond/ 36 Cabitza, F., Raoini, R., and Gensini, G.F. (2017). Unintended Consequences of Machine Learning in Medicine. JAMA , 318(6), 517-518. 37 LaSelle, R. (2016). Manufacturing Smarter. ISE Magazine , 48(9), 43-47. 38 Dator, J.A. (2012). On Looking Into the Futures. Delivering Tomorrow: Logistics 2050: A Scenario Study. Bonn, Germany: Deutsche Post AG, 22-27. Accessed from: http://www.futures.hawaii.edu/publications/futures-studies/DHLszenario-2050.pdf . There are lots of other interesting aspects of this report. 39 Dobbs, R., Koller, T., Ramaswamy, S. (2015). The Future and How to Survive it. Harvard Business Review. 93(10), October, 48-62.

IE 20000 - Industrial Engineering Seminar Fall 2023 15. Read the article “Boeing’s 737 Max Software Outsources to $9-an-hour Engineers” by Robison 46 . Consider the implications of the decisions described in the article from a holistic systems perspective. How does the perspectives shared by the guest speakers relate to developing a holistic systems perspective? What are the challenges in engineering complex products and services? 16. For this prompt, we will use the businesses that Elon Musk has led as a means to explore an idea. Each industry in which Musk has created businesses (automotive, space, excavation, etc.) would have been considered “mature,” in that they were large industries, employing lots of technology and people, with well-designed products. In addition, design is as much art as science, and that there are many ways to do good engineering. Develop a justification for why the core skill set in IE is essential for both well-established industries, industries where substantial “reinvention” is happening (as in the Tesla/SpaceX cases), or in emerging industries. The following may be useful articles to consider: Clifford, C. (2019). Elon Musk: This is the ‘why’ of Tesla. CNBC.com, 2/4/2019. Accessed from: https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/04/elon-musk-on-the-why-and- purpose-behind-tesla.html Clear, J. (n.d.) First Principles: Elon Musk on the Power of Thinking for Yourself. Accessed from: https://jamesclear.com/first-principles Khanna, T. (2018). When Technology Gets Ahead of Society. Harvard Business Review , 96(4), July/Aug., 86-95. 46 Robison, P. (2019). Boeing’s 737 Max Software Outsources to $9-an-hour Engineers. Bloomberg.com, 6/28/2019. Accessed from: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-06-28/boeing-s-737-max- software-outsourced-to-9-an-hour-engineers