The competitive environment is changing skill requirements for manufacturing engineers. Expertise primarily in the technical aspects of the operation is no longer enough. Rapid innovation capability is now required for success. Manufacturing organizations are sociotechnical systems - systems with heavy reliance on personnel systems and on technical systems. To improve the speed of innovation will require the personnel and technical systems to fit intimately well together. This paper will review what sociotechnical systems are and how engineering colleges are beginning to incorporate this topic into curriculum.
