Newswise — To see how business organizations are adapting to new challenges brought by the global economy and shifts in technological practices, consider the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the newest design in commercial air transportation.
The Dreamliner, scheduled to launch in early 2009, will incorporate highly sophisticated avionics, advanced communications, engines that will consume 20 percent less fuel than today's similarly sized commercial aircraft, and many other state-of-the-art capabilities. To bring all these cutting edge technologies to bear on the new airliner, Boeing served as a large-scale integrator, creating a far-reaching global network consisting of interdisciplinary design teams and a supply chain of more than 70 companies.
"I do not believe such an innovation as the 787 could have been planned and developed without a globally-focused strategy involving multidisciplinary design teams," said Ahmed K. Noor, Ph.D., eminent scholar and William E. Lobeck professor of aerospace engineering at Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Va.
Dr. Noor will be among the speakers at the 2008 ASME Annual Meeting next month in Florida, joining other technology leaders who believe that to be successful in today's global market, companies and their employees " particularly engineers " must seek opportunities for strategic collaboration and interdisciplinary partnerships.
"We are seeing a cultural shift in the way business organizations operate and carry out product development," said Noor. "Companies are collaborating globally in the effort to leverage technology, knowledge, human talent, and other resources necessary to innovate and compete."
According to Noor, businesses are transforming into what he calls "global collaborative enterprises." While business models differ from company to company and from industry to industry, one common trait of the global collaborative enterprise is the use of "mirror zones" enabling around-the-clock, 24-hour product design and development capabilities.
Noor says that globally-focused collaborative strategies are evident throughout industries, from healthcare and telecommunications to automotive and aerospace. "Global collaboration is having a profound impact on business, and for engineers it could represent the next major advance in the profession," he said.
An increasing number of colleges and universities in the United States as well as Europe have established programs that teach interdisciplinary collaboration and global product development. Old Dominion has begun the Center for Advanced Engineering Environments that connects engineers and computer scientists from dispersed locations around the world.
"Engineers must be 'systems thinkers' and become adept at synchronous design in virtual design environments," said Noor.
Centered on the theme "Innovative Partnering: Interdisciplinary Challenges to Designing the Future," the 2008 ASME Annual Meeting is set for June 7-11 at the Walt Disney World® Swan and Dolphin Resort in Lake Buena Vista.
The conference will include three plenary sessions titled "Envisioning the Future," "Critical Skills Needed to Overcome 21st Century Challenges," and "Partnering: Interdisciplinary Approaches Are the Keys to Success."
Joining Dr. Noor are senior executives and engineers from IBM, Westinghouse Electric, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and other leading firms and organizations. Panel discussions will be led by Michael Rogers, futurist-in-residence, at The New York Times Company. Rogers is on of the nation's leading experts on the impact of technology on business and society.
For detailed information on the 2008 ASME Annual Meeting, visit the Web site at http://www.asmeconferences.org/annualmeeting08 or call (866) 519-1299.
Founded in 1880 as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, ASME is a not-for-profit professional organization promoting the art, science and practice of mechanical and multidisciplinary engineering and allied sciences.
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