| While industrial engineers are important to operations, the macro changes in the nature of the economic environment have created the opportunity for their profession to evolve. This evolution has provided the opportunity for industrial engineers to rise into leadership positions. In terms of organizational performance, the focus of systems thinking is a holistic attitude, working to guarantee the success of the organization by concentrating on quality, productivity, and profit, and how these components work together. Systems thinking is a framework for seeing interrelationships rather than seeing components separately. A review of literature examined the theory of systems, the background and growth of systems thinking usage in current organizations, and the historical role of industrial engineering. The study serves as a meaningful contribution to the profession of industrial engineering and the framework of systems thinking skills.;In order to investigate the relationship of systems thinking skills and technical industrial engineering skills to managerial transition success, 376 members of the Institute of Industrial Engineers were surveyed using the Systems Thinking and Technical Skills Use survey instrument. An analysis of the data showed positive significant correlation between systems thinking skills and technical industrial engineering skills to transition success among industrial engineers. The study also showed there is a relationship between factors, created by combining systems thinking skills and technical industrial engineering skills, and transition success. Finally, a regression model was developed for industrial engineers to utilize for successful transition to management. Industrial engineers who seek to make a successful transition to management will benefit from the valuable insights and conclusions derived in this research study. |
