Production and Operations Management 2001/2002

UNIT 1. Performance Improvement and Electronic Commerce 1. An Empirical Assessment of the Production/Operations Manager''s Job, Brian D''Netto, Amrik S. Sohal, and John Trevillyan, Production and Inventory Management Journal , First Quarter, 1998. Findings from a survey of production/operations managers indicate that the modern production manager is vastly different from the traditional profile. The nature of the job has changed from a department-centered approach to cross-functional linkages with marketing, engineering, human resources, finance, and accounting. 2. Reengineer or Perish, G. Berton Latamore, APICS--The Performance Advantage , January 1999. Michael Hammer, the originator of both reengineering and process-centering, is interviewed in this article. He comments on how reengineering the supply chain is the key to manufacturing success in the new millennium. 3. Hurry Up and Wait, Kelly Barron, Forbes , October 16, 2000. Time is a scarce resource for customers and frustration occurs when customers are forced to wait in lines. Firms need to value customer time and use concepts like queuing theory to reduce waiting time. 4. Do You Have What It Takes to Be Lean?, William Feld, APICS--The Performance Advantage , May 2000. Most firms have had difficulty in achieving successful lean manufacturing. Benchmarks, primary elements, principles, and a road map for successful lean manufacturing implementation are presented. Performance measurement is viewed as vital for successful implementation. 5. Rally of the Dolls: It Worked for Toyota. Can It Work for Toys?, Alex Taylor III, Fortune , January 11, 1999. Alexander Doll Company has turned around its operations and finances from bankruptcy to profitability, and it has improved its operations processes by utilizing the same lean production system concepts used by Toyota Motor Corporation. 6. Using ERP Data to Get [Close] to Customers, G. Berton Latamore, APICS--The Performance Advantage , September 2000. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems provide valuable data to shop-floor personnel. Firms using ERP data are improving response to order changes, customer needs, and market conditions. UNIT 2. Quality 7. Fool Proof Service: Poka-Yoke, Richard B. Chase and Douglas M. Stewart, USC Business , Spring 1994. This article reviews the Japanese concept of quality management called "poka-yoke". In essence, it builds a step into a process that must be completed before the next stage can be performed. In other words, it ensures that each phase of an operation is done correctly. 8. A Conversation With Joseph Juran, Thomas A. Stewart, Fortune , January 11, 1999. Joseph Juran, a pioneer in quality control, presents his views on why quality matters, why quality takes so long, the cost of quality, control versus creativity, and perfection. 9. One More Time: Eight Things You Should Remember About Quality, John P. Mello Jr., Harvard Management Update , May 1998. John Mello identifies eight suggestions for gaining organizational commitment to quality by involvement of customers, top management, and workers. Examples of several firms provide support to the view that more than just quality standards are needed. 10. ISO 9000 Myth and Reality: A Reasonable Approach to ISO 9000, Frank C. Barnes, SAM Advanced Management Journal , Spring 1998. Frank Barnes presents a background on ISO 9000 quality system standards, discusses benefits and costs, and makes recommendations based upon data collected on actual savings to firms of different sizes. 11. 2-D or Not 2-D?, Srikumar S. Rao, Forbes , November 15, 1999. Bar codes, introduced over 20 years ago, have been improved to "2-D" bar codes. The enhanced bar codes allow for more data capacity, reduce paperwork with inventories, and reduce costs. 12. Jac Nasser''s Biggest Test, Alex Taylor III, Fortune , September 18, 2000. Ford CEO Jac Nasser faced a crisis in 2000 with Ford Explorer SUV tire failures and rollovers. Unlike other CEOs faced with litigation and congressional hearings, Nasser chose to speak openly about the crisis. 13. Cause of Tire Failures Still a Matter of Dispute, Terril Yue Jones, Los Angeles Times , October 22, 2000. Ford and Bridgestone/Firestone disputed the cause of tire failures in 1999 and 2000. Explanations for the tire cracks ranged from manufacturing flaws and poor design to improper tire inflation and maintenance. UNIT 3. Human Resources Management for Productivity 14. How Will Kawai''s Hand-Built Grand Play Against Steinway?, Sonni Efron, Los Angeles Times , November 3, 2000. Kawai Musical Instrument Manufacturing Company has mass-produced affordable family pianos for 72 years. Kawai plans to introduce a limited number of high quality hand-built pianos to compete against Steinway. 15. Less Stress, More Productivity, Phillip M. Perry, Area Development , May 1999. Employee stress affects productivity in addition to employee job satisfaction. Suggestions are presented to reduce stress and to increase productivity. 16. How Great Machines Are Born, Stuart F. Brown, Fortune , March 1, 1999. Friendly machines, based upon human factors and ergonomics, have been developed for use in the home and in industry. The designs are efficient and often safer, and users say the machines are a joy to use. 17. Characteristics of the Manufacturing Environment That Influence Team Success, Mark Pagell and Jeffrey A. LePine, Production and Inventory Management Journal , Third Quarter, 1999. Work performed through teams is common in many firms. In this article, Mark Pagell and Jeffrey LePine analyze characteristics of the manufacturing environment that influence team success. They examine three categories: operational system, informal communication, and new or unusual problems. 18. The Legal Limitations to Self-Directed Work Teams in Production Planning and Control, Steven E. Abraham and Michael S. Spencer, Production and Inventory Management Journal , First Quarter, 1998. The use of employee-driven problem-solving teams, or quality circles, is a central component of Just-In-Time (JIT) and total quality management (TQM). The authors identify the legal limitations to self-directed work teams with a review of case law. UNIT 4. Forecasting and Product Design 19. Managing the New Product Development Process: Strategic Imperatives, Melissa A. Schilling and Charles W. L. Hill, Academy of Management Executive , August 1998. For many industries, new product development is now the single most important factor driving success or failure. The authors present models of the new product development (NPD) process and recommend strategic imperatives to reduce delays and failures.[read more]