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Engineering leadership in a Chinese industrial context: An exploration using the four capabilities model
Author(s) -
Zhu Jiabin,
Hu Yu,
Zheng Tianyi,
Li Yike
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of engineering education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.896
H-Index - 108
eISSN - 2168-9830
pISSN - 1069-4730
DOI - 10.1002/jee.20404
Subject(s) - operationalization , context (archaeology) , engineering , thematic analysis , construct (python library) , engineering ethics , knowledge management , engineering education , sensemaking , qualitative research , sociology , engineering management , computer science , philosophy , epistemology , paleontology , social science , biology , programming language
Background Over the past two decades, state policies and industrial associations have challenged engineering educators to expand the training of future engineers beyond technical competencies to the broader domain of professional skills development, with one key aspect being engineering leadership. Purpose This study adopted the four capabilities (4‐Cap) model, which views leadership as a set of four capabilities—sensemaking, relating, visioning, and inventing—as a conceptual framework to explore and operationalize the core skills and attributes required for engineers in a Chinese industrial context. Method A qualitative study was conducted through semistructured interviews with 23 practicing engineers from different industries (e.g., IT, automobile) and various types of companies (e.g., state‐owned companies, foreign‐invested enterprises) in China. Using a thematic analysis approach, themes relating to engineering leadership within and beyond the 4‐Cap model were reported. Results Qualitatively, more themes emerged for the dimension of inventing than for the other dimensions. The themes and patterns suggested the central role of inventing, which predominantly represented an innovative process of design‐oriented problem‐solving and project management closely associated with themes in the other dimensions. Therefore, the 4‐Cap model was revisited and revised by highlighting the core construct of inventing. Conclusion This study enriches the current understanding of engineering leadership, especially in a Chinese industrial context. The results emphasize the importance of design, problem‐solving, and the social component in the daily work of engineering professionals. Suggestions for educational practices and future research, along with a call for more empirical data on engineering leadership in China and from a global context, are proposed.