Industrial engineering is a mindset, not a methodology

Abstract

Mindset means mental attitude. Methodology means a system of methods used in a particular area of study. If one studies any textbook in industrial engineering, one reads about various optimization methods. Hence it is natural to assume that industrial engineering is a methodology. However, this paper argues that industrial engineering is a mindset geared toward optimisation, and methodology is just a manifestation of that mindset.

Keywords

• industrial engineering
• mindset
• methodology
• method
• procedure