Engineering Leadership in a Chinese Industrial Context: An Exploration using the Four Capabilities Model

Future engineers should not only serve as technical experts in their respective fields, but also take the leadership roles in the age of knowledge economy. To understand the essence of engineering leadership, this study applied the Four Capabilities Model (4-Cap model) to understand and operationalize the core capabilities required for engineers in a Chinese industrial context. The 4-Cap model is composed of four dimensions in defining leaders’ capabilities, that is, sensemaking, relating, visioning and inventing. By a qualitative study among twenty-three working engineers from different companies and industries, this study identified a comprehensive list of key skills or attributes that are needed for engineering leadership. This work also illustrates practical examples for these skills and attributes based on the analyses from the interview transcripts. The comprehensive list of skills and attributes will help inform the design and implementation of leadership training programs and deepen our current understanding of engineering leadership in different cultural contexts.