Acetate Department Case Analysis
Synthesis
The old acetate department located in an old four storey building follows a workflow that is heavily based on shifts/rotations because production is based on a per batch basis. A typical shift, the group leader and his crew would complete two or three batches. The night shift usually has lesser work because no deliveries were made.
In the new system, the management wants to improve productivity. The department was redesigned from batches to continuous processing. Technical changes allowed the department to reduce its workforce due to acquisition of machines. The new system expects an increase in production capacity to 25 million pound per year. There was also an increase in pay for the remaining employees. No one was dismissed, but other employees were transferred to other departments in the company. With the new system being implemented, the anticipated increase in actual production did not materialize and is still close to what the old technology was producing. Absenteeism is also causing setbacks and substantial losses resulted from several judgmental errors by operators.
Point of View
Department Head is the overall in-charge. He sees the changes or problems that hinder the progress of acetate department
Statement of Problem
Why didn't the department's innovations improve output and performance? How can the New System of Acetate Department be effective?
Objectives
1. To eliminate judgmental errors by operators in a month.
2. To achieve zero absenteeism in the next three months.
3. To increase actual output in six months.
Areas for Consideration
1. Force Field Analysis
- A useful technique for looking at all the forces for and against a decision.
The Analysis will be used in order to identify the problems that hinder the new system in the Acetate Department to work.
Forces against change: Forces for change:
Total: 15 Total: 12
To help eliminate errors (- 2 points), additional seminars or refresher
The old acetate department located in an old four storey building follows a workflow that is heavily based on shifts/rotations because production is based on a per batch basis. A typical shift, the group leader and his crew would complete two or three batches. The night shift usually has lesser work because no deliveries were made.
In the new system, the management wants to improve productivity. The department was redesigned from batches to continuous processing. Technical changes allowed the department to reduce its workforce due to acquisition of machines. The new system expects an increase in production capacity to 25 million pound per year. There was also an increase in pay for the remaining employees. No one was dismissed, but other employees were transferred to other departments in the company. With the new system being implemented, the anticipated increase in actual production did not materialize and is still close to what the old technology was producing. Absenteeism is also causing setbacks and substantial losses resulted from several judgmental errors by operators.
Point of View
Department Head is the overall in-charge. He sees the changes or problems that hinder the progress of acetate department
Statement of Problem
Why didn't the department's innovations improve output and performance? How can the New System of Acetate Department be effective?
Objectives
1. To eliminate judgmental errors by operators in a month.
2. To achieve zero absenteeism in the next three months.
3. To increase actual output in six months.
Areas for Consideration
1. Force Field Analysis
- A useful technique for looking at all the forces for and against a decision.
The Analysis will be used in order to identify the problems that hinder the new system in the Acetate Department to work.
Forces against change: Forces for change:
Total: 15 Total: 12
To help eliminate errors (- 2 points), additional seminars or refresher