The Manufacturing and Service Process Design - Essay Example

Operations Management Topic Manufacturing/Service Design Introduction The manufacturing/service process design depends on several considerable factors. The process is a representation of several variables and trade-offs. The manufacturing process differs in every category of factors such as a product under manufacture, the nature of the business and the market anticipated. Consequently, the paper discusses, with an example of an organization or product, the factors that influence the choice of manufacturing or service process design. The focus is also derived into discussing how the main principles of project management sought to aid the operation manager/manageress help in the introduction of change to the process. Manufacturing/service process design is a process where features and characteristics of a product or service are designed. The operation manager/manageress is responsible for overseeing the process of creating a service and product that customers will depend on. When it comes to manufacturing/service process design is strategies in place remain one of the most fundamental factors. Strategies help in starting the process from scratch or renewing an existing process. Service strategies are important because they enhance an organization’s customer’s feedback program. The program is essential to the organization because it helps in effective measurements of satisfaction and loyalty. In return, it helps the management to be aware of the processes and designs that the products of the company or business will assimilate. Service process design falls under a simple definition. It is an act of organizing and planning the factors of service for the purposes of improving the quality and customer/service provider interactions. The factors of service include people, infrastructure, communication and material possessions. Manufacturing process design has a similar meaning to service process design, but the two may differ in some ways. All these processes are designed to achieve better results and perform better as compared to other products in the market. They are also designed to lower the costs of operation and maintain all functional requirement of the customer. The principles set on guidance of project management. In case of choice determination and change inducement in a process, the principles are important factors that aid managers and manageresses in inducing the change. The operation managers and manageresses are important players in change inducement. The choice of Toyota Japan as the industry under scrutiny helps discuss the factors that affect manufacturing/service process design in a real case. Factors influencing process design (manufacturing/service) Under the choice of a product or industry, the discussion focuses on the car manufacturing industry. In the modern world, automotives occupy a greater percentage of human daily activities. There are many companies engaging in the manufacturing of automotives. The manufacture of new automotives depends on many factors. There are many factors that influence the manufacturing/service process design. In order to formulate a product that competes according to the set standards of the company, the manufacturing/service process design must fulfil many conditions. These conditions are termed as factors influencing the manufacturing/service process design. Automotive manufacturing is a delicate and sophisticated activity that requires quality technological methods and processes. In addition, the service industries and suppliers to the manufacturing industries must provide quality products and services in order to come up with safe and quality products. In order for automakers to come up with quality products, they invest a lot of time and finances in developing manufacturing/service process designs. They rely heavily on research to come up with new process designs and technological innovations. The manufacturing/service processes lead to a faster manufacture of automotives. The same processes ensure that automotive manufacturing industries compete fairly based on established commercial practices. These established commercial practices facilitate the development of factors that influence the manufacturing/service process design. In a real world, the choice of the best manufacturing/service process design does not have the best laid down segments. In other words, the choice depends on various factors. Even so, the choice must meet several objectives as stipulated by the factors affecting the choice. One of the objectives is that it must conform to the financial specifications of the project. The other objective is it must be a cost effective choice that will be efficient and effective in meeting the goals and objectives under target. Factors Fitness for purpose is a factor that affects the manufacturing/service process design. The product designed should perform the job it is developed for in every situation. For example, a car is designed for transportation of people from one place to another. Similarly, the train is supposed to transport people from one place to the other (Buzacott 1993). Although the two are designed for similar purposes, the manufacturers make a choice for specific manufacture/service process designs that suit the need of the designed product and customer satisfaction intended to reach different users. In order for a suitable choice to be made, operations managers have the privilege to several factors. Nature of demand is a factor that greatly influences the choice to be made. In any organization (such as Toyota Japan) the manufacture of automotives is done considering the nature of demand from customers (Buzacott 1993). Manufacture/service process choice is done basing the argument on the nature of customers’ needs and preferences. In many instances, the organization schedules its production in a bid to settle future expectations on demand and supply. In order for operational managers to be able to accomplish the task mentioned above, they integrate other factors that assist in positively estimating the nature of customers’ demands. These factors include seasonality, growth trends, among other demand patterns. These demand patterns must influence and affect the future demand of the products (Toyota automotives). Demand pattern influence also affects the choice of manufacture/service process design (Hopp & Spearman 2011). In any given industry, the demand of a product rises and falls according to different periods. There are factors that influence the rise and fall of demand. An example of such factors influencing demand includes seasonal oscillation (Hopp & Spearman 2011). Such factors affect the process design in a manufacturing/service process choice. With reference to automotives, different cars are used during different seasons as well as different geographic locations. The influence of price levels is also a major factor affecting manufacturing/service process design choice. An observation of the Toyota Company statistics indicates that the price-volume/the demand curve has a big influence on the choice of process design. The statistics and tables indicate that customers are highly price sensitive. If a car that can suit the needs of a person is sold at a considerable price, the likelihood of many people purchasing the car is greater (Stevenson 2009). Another factor influencing the choice of a manufacturing/service process design is the degree of vertical integration. Vertical integration is defined as the longevity under which production and chain of distribution is harmonized to suit the ownership of the organization (Toyota Japan).it is an important determiner in making a choice because it determines how far or deep production an internal production process is carried. There are two types of vertical integration and both influence the choice of process design (Stevenson 2009). The first is forward integration involving the expansion of ownership in production to the distribution chains in order to reach the market in a more efficient manner. Backward expansion means expanding the ownership of production towards the source of supplies. This form of integration is called backward integration. The Toyota Company, Japan, considers this factor in its operations. In return, vertical integration facilitates total improvement and flexibility in manufacturing (Chase & Jacobs 2007). The results are increased profits attributed to centralizing overheads and benefit from economies of scale. In the process of evaluating a suitable choice of process design, the operations manager is mandated with the responsibilities of evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of vertical integration in order to come up with sound decision. Flexibility is also a factor that affects the choice of process design. Toyota Japan, a flexible organization, can respond quickly to the trends in customer preferences. A good choice will enable an organization to gain an advantage in flexibility when it comes to maintaining or increasing the market share. Flexibility is categorized in several levels. The levels are product/service flexibility. It means that a sound choice will facilitate the organization with the ability to shift its production systems in order to match the abilities to produce different products. It is an important factor in an organization that operates the production of different custom-designed products and services (Chase & Jacobs 2007). Most of the firms that benefit under product/service flexibility are those that produce goods in small batches through the use of equipment that are designed for general purpose and benefit from multi-skilled employees. Volume flexibility indicates the ability of a firm to increase or decrease the volumes of products produced. In many occasions, volume flexibility acts in response to external changes affecting the firm both positively or negatively. Organizations involved in the production of fluctuating products and uneconomical maintenance of high level of inventory benefit most in application of volume flexibility in the process of making a choice (Askin & Stranridge 1993). Degree of automation is considered as a factor affecting the choice of the process. Operation managers always avoid automation because of its implications especially on costs. High costs are involved in automation of the process and difficulties encountered in integrating the costs and the product processes. In the modern methods of formulating factors suitable for making a choice decision, operations managers consider degree of automation because it helps an organization to gain a competitive advantage over the other competitors (Askin & Stranridge 1993). In addition, many operations managers, including operation managers in Toyota Japan, consider it because it helps in minimizing labor related costs. During the process of choice determination, the operations managers are responsible for determining the level of automation degree manageable in the manufacturing/service process design choice. In an elaborate manner, it is the quality levels of a product or service that determine how well it fairs in the market. In essence, it also affects the production process design through the entire production levels. According to the observation made on Toyota Japan, the quality levels directly affect automation levels. Consequently, it affects the level of customer interaction with the product processes (Askin & Stranridge 1993). Environmental considerations form an important factor that affects the choice of a manufacturing or service process design. The environment of a firm refers to the place where it carries its business operations (Askin & Stranridge 1993). A choice is determined under environmental condition through the consideration of factors such as economic conditions, social and cultural situations. It is also important to consider factors such as laws on environment and the effect of the choice on them, technological position of the firm and the natural environmental factors. The naturally occurring environmental conditions must affect the process under choice either positively or negatively in order to build a decision. Technological advancements also provide a platform for choice of a process. Technology advances as the organizational design keeps on changing. Technological advancement enables a company to attain higher efficiency levels and cost effective implementation strategies (Stevenson 2009). Operational managers are required to have knowledge of batch production process as technology of the firm advances. In this technology, items are produced in batches instead of singly. For example, certain car models from Toyota Japan are produced in batches in order to minimize overproduction and hoarding of complete products. Mass production involves the production of large amounts of a product or products. It only utilizes short time during production technologically (Stevenson 2009). It is important to consider the effects of mass production such that operation managers remain relevant with the best methods or choices on process design. Continuous process production is also an important technological advancement that should be put under consideration when coming up with the choice of a manufacturing/service process design (Montgomery 2012). In a continuous process production, the required products are produced by allowing a continuous process flow of raw material injection in the manufacturing process. There are conditions necessary for the process to fulfill. One of the conditions is the process must conform to all requirements set in order to come up with a quality product (Montgomery 2012). The process must meet the requirements set for daily product requirements. In order to realize full utilization of the machines under use in the process, the process should accommodate full capacities of the machines. The process should reduce all the vices of the production process to minimum levels. The choice must consider a provision of maximum utilization of minimum materials in the process. The process should meet all the flexibility requirements in order to all the positive changes brought about in changes witnessed in the design (Stevenson 2009). Effects of principles of project management to change in the process Operation management involves processes or systems that facilitate the creation of goods/services. The principles are vital in that they help the project managers/manageress successfully oversee the growth of the project until it attains its maturity (Montgomery 2012). Project managers/manageress is supposed to be able to carry out several tasks with the intent to maintain the process under change. One of the things that they are entitled to is being able to anticipate planning and inculcating the changes. A project management plan is important in order to accommodate all the changes anticipated. The advantage of the principles is they offer a platform where the operations managers/manageresses can draw their plans. The principles are used as guidelines during the initial stages of introducing change into the process. During the project planning phase, the operation managers/manageress is supposed to use the principles as guiding units that will facilitate the identification of risks such as the development of change is effected in the project (Slack & Johnson 2007). In the same platform, the principles assist the managers in the analysis of the risks identified. After analysis, the principles guide the managers in developing remedies for the risks. After identification of the risks, a risk response plan is extracted by the use of the principles as guidelines. The principles set out quality management to be observed under the process. They help in developing a basis for quality change introduction in the process. They help in the implementation of strategies set forth for injection into the process such that there is cohesion and harmonization in change introduced (Slack & Johnson 2007). Conclusion A closer examination of the two terms, manufacturing design and service design, indicates a very slim variation. The manufacturing process differs in every category of factors such as a product under manufacture, and the market anticipated. Consequently, the paper discusses, with an example of an organization or product, the factors that influence the choice of service process design. Both require a critical evaluation in order to determine the choice of process design for a product or industry. The paper has addressed several factors that influence a positive choice of a manufacturing/service process design. The main players for determination of the process are the operations managers. They are aided by the principles set forward project management. The factors that influence the choice of process design are environmental conditions, technological advancement, automation degree, fitness for purpose, and demand and supply forces of the product or service in scrutiny. The paper reviews the case of Toyota Japan and automotive in the discussion. The analysis discussed the effects of the principles of project management to change in the process of design. It cites that managers and manageresses need the guidance of the principles in order to accomplish a definite choice of the process. Reference List Askin, R. G., & C.R. Stanridge, (1993), Modeling & Analysis Of Manufacturing Systems, John Wiley and Sons, New York. Buzacott, J.G. (1993), Stochastic models of manufacturing systems, Prentice Hall. Chase, F.R., & Jacobs, N.J. (2007), Operations Management for Competitive Advantage, 11th ed McGraw-Hill. J.C. Wortmann. (1983), A classification scheme for master production schedule, in Efficiency of Manufacturing Systems, C. Berg, D. French and B. Wilson (eds) New York, Plenum Press. Montgomery, D. (2012), Statistical Quality Control: A Modern Introduction, 7th edition. Stevenson, J. (2009), Operations Management, Tenth Edition, McGraw-Hill Irwin. (Chapters 1, 2, 6) Slack, N., Chambers, S. & Johnson, R. (2007), Operations Management, Fifth Edition, Prentice Hall. (Chapters 1, 4, 7) Wren, D. (1987), The Evolution of Management Thought, 3rd ed. New York Wiley. W. Hopp., & M. Spearman, (2011), Factory Physics, 3rd ed. Waveland Press, (Part 1 contains both description and critical evaluation of the historical development of the field) Read More