How much politics is involved in civil engineering?

[CRAIGSTANLEY]

things should be simple

Man A tells Man B that he needs a subdivision designed

Man B tells his designer to design subdivision

The deisigner gives the completed design back to Man B

Man B reviews it...stamps it...and gives it to Man A

Man A pays Man B

wouldn't it be nice if things were this simple???

what is some potential problems with this scenerio??

workplace politics for the designer

too much brown nosing and lunches bought to get Man A to let Man B get the project in the first place

just wondering if you guys can come up with some situations that could go bad during this process???

 

[RDK]

Engineering is a human endeavor.

Therefore politics will be involved. Get used to it and learn to live with it.





Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng

Construction Project Management
From conception to completion

http://www.kitsonengineering.com

 

[DaveVikingPE]

Unless you're working for King Solomon, don't expect a direct appeal to wisdom vs. "politics."

And if you eat lunch alone, pretty soon you won't eat lunch at all...

 

[IRstuff]

Engineering is only engineering some of the time.

In systems engineering, we discuss the concept of "stakeholders" in the context of requirements development. So, even the question, "what are we designing?" is quite often rife with political overtones and undertones.

Even written specifications and requirements are often irrelevant, because critical stakeholders have unwritten and unvoiced expectations about the performance or features of a design that they want.

And, of course, customers and other stakeholders often lie outright about their true desires and requirements. Alternately, the same are often clueless about the actual requirements. So, politically, you may have to tell your customer that he's an idiot, but in a nice way, of course.

TTFN

 

[EngJW]

I think you have to make a distinction between politics in the workplace and politics with the customer. I can only comment on politics in the workplace. Although it affects everyone, it can be minimized depending on ones position. For example, it is commonly accepted that nuts-and-bolts engineers are a breed onto themselves and don't give a damn about being political. Engineers who aspire to management or even project engineering are more likely to be put under a microscope and their ability to play politics is far more important than their engineering ability and possibly even more important than their people skills. This should be considered by any young engineers just starting out. If you like detail work stick with it. If details bore you, make sure you have political skills before jumping into management.

 

[GregLocock]

I don't think that is really true. I am a nuts and bolts engineer. If I want the project I am on to incorporate a novel suggestion, I have to play politics. That is, figure out who will object, talk to them, and work out a solution. Or, figure out who will be on my side and let them beat the obstructor up.

If that isn't politics, what is?

Cheers

Greg Locock

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.

 

[epoisses]

Politics... organisational stuff... it's all about one part of the organisation trying to make another part do or not something. The bigger the organisation, the more obscure the good reasons that the one part may have may appear to the other part.
I remember very well that I was working on getting a cost estimate for a project. My boss told me the M$ cost could not be a double digit number. At that time I guess I was too much nuts and bolts and not enough politics and gave him the "so what part of the scope do you want to delete then". I couldn't get below 11 M$ and guess what, the project obviously wouldn't make it.
After I had pulled some of my hair out, I realised that politics are simply part of the game.
I suddenly realise that whenever my wife tells me she bought something at eBay the price is only a single digit number...?

 

[eric1037]

If you want to see politics in civil engineering, go to a zoning meeting or a public hearing.

 

[Heckler]

I heard on the radio this morning that the citizens of Davis California just voted against an Est 1900 home subdivision yesterday. Is it right or wrong? That's limiting growth which is limiting tax base which (if in fact it does) limit services to the community as a whole?

 

[EngJW]

Homeowners see growth in an entirely different light- how about those who move out of a city for greener pastures and find themselves swallowed up by subdivisions? And speaking of politics in civil engineering, developers will often have the local government in their pockets.

 

[Heckler]

EngJW,

I totally agree with you. One thing I noticed is citizens like the increase in home values but don't like what comes along with growth. I dislike the damage that uncontrolled growth causes.

 

[IRstuff]

Uncontrolled growth is simply a bad idea. The usual suspect is water supply. Santa Barbara is under a constant state of drought, even in wet years, precisely because the growth has completely consumed all available water resources. There are lots places where sink holes undermine existing homes and neighborhoods because the draw on groundwater exceeds the replentishment rate.

TTFN