FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- Does Management Engineering charge a fee for its services?
- Will a Management Engineering study be disruptive to our already busy operations?
- What type of deliverables can we expect from a Management Engineering study?
- How do I know if my unit could benefit from Management Engineering assistance?
Does Management Engineering charge a fee for its services?
Fees are generally not assessed for short-term advising. Management Engineering provides services on a fee basis for major projects that require significant involvement of our staff. Project objectives, fees, and deliverables are negotiated up-front with a project proposal. Costs to departments are used to cover overhead fees in our department and are extremely low in comparison to using an outside consulting firm. When discussing a potential project, every effort is made to minimize the project cost to meet the needs of our clients.
Will a Management Engineering study be disruptive to our already busy operations?
Through years of experience, Management Engineering has refined our study techniques to produce maximum results with minimal disruption to our clients daily operations. We always tailor our approach and timelines to suit your requirements. We use our expertise to guide you through the improvement process and eliminate the training and learning curve usually associated with in-house improvement efforts. A typical work activity assessment study of a department will only generally require one to two hours of each staff member's time during the study period.
What type of deliverables can we expect from a Management Engineering study?
With every major project, Management Engineering will provide a detailed summary report of findings and recommendations for your use. Our findings and recommendations are held in strict confidence and are not reported to any other entity without your permission. We strive to constantly communicate with our client organizations during the study period to insure that we both understand the objectives of the study and remain on target throughout the process. Since we are an internal consultant, we have an understanding of the constraints, policies, and practices of Penn State. Therefore we excel at providing recommendations that are realistic and will fit within the framework of the University's mission.
How do I know if my unit could benefit from Management Engineering assistance?
We will be glad to discuss your needs in detail in order to understand your situation and discuss potential action plans. Many of our clients have found our services especially useful in the following circumstances:
- When work processes seem outdated, cumbersome, or are not performing as well as expected.
- When facing a significant change in the unit mission or operating environment.
- When staffing levels are expected to change, either through expansion or reduction.
- New technology or equipment has been acquired that will affect work processes.
- Accumulated minor changes throughout the years that may have impacted the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the organization.
In all of the prescribed cases above and many more, Management Engineering can assist you in a review of your work unit to provide data and a base-line in order to make sound decisions on your future business operations.