竞争环境正在改变对制造工程师的技能要求。主要在操作的技术方面的专业知识已经不够了。现在，成功需要快速创新能力。制造业组织是社会技术系统——高度依赖人事系统和技术系统的系统。为了提高创新速度，需要人员和技术系统紧密配合。本文将回顾什么是社会技术系统，以及工程学院如何开始将这一主题纳入课程。

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.