Chapter 2
To what extent is Boeing using evidence-based management? Are they overdoing it? Explain your rationale.
Boeing began the process of subjecting its suppliers to frequent examinations on-site with extensive reviews of financial data. No they are not overdoing it, they are bringing rationality with concrete facts.
To what extent are the managerial practices being used at Boeing consistent with principles associated with management science and operations management techniques? Discuss.
Boeing conducts monthly and quarterly assessments of its supplier’s ability to speed up production along with yearly reviews that can take up to 3 days. Focusing on numbers at every level.
Use Figure 2.3 to analyze the extent to which Boeing is using a systems viewpoint.
Boeing knows to take their inputs ( jet parts ) and turn them into outputs ( completed jets ).
If Boeing experiences problems such as the bottlenecks in the 1990s that effected their quality and delivery when they tried expanding their production too quickly, it could affect their current sizable backlog. How are the managerial practices being used at Boeing consistent with both a contingency and quality-management viewpoint? Explain your rationale.
Boeing monitors their suppliers more closely because of past experiences such as the quality issues in the late 1990s and in 2008 which forced them to temporarily shut down some of its assembly lines. They are focusing on monitoring their suppliers in effort to not repeat past mistakes.
To what extent does Boeing represent a learning organization? Discuss.
Boeing demonstrates that it is a learning organization in the manner which they’ve responded to the problems it experienced with its 787 and 737 lines.