Week 13: Operations Management

Question 1

Porter

Answer 1

1996

Operational effectiveness does not necessarily lead to competitive advantage Competitive convergence

Question 1

Hayes and Pisano

Answer 1

1994

Focusing on operations abandons the concept of a strategy and becomes generic Operations are a “stepping stone”, a requirement to be successful, not a determinant of successfulness. Need operational effectiveness as well as strategy

Question 1

Womack et al.

Answer 1

1990

Lean production is the best, most efficient method of manufacturing

Question 3

Ritzer

Answer 3

1993

‘McDonalization’: Organizations mimicking the fast-food sector. Similar to Fordism; products homogenous and mass produced (e.g. Bic Mac) Workers are interchangeable (deskilled). Organization based on efficiency, calculability, predictability and control (limited employee discretion, Levitt 1972).

Question 4

Adler and Cole

Answer 4

1993

Discusses the NUMMI plant, which implemented lean quite succesfully

Question 6

Krafcik

Answer 6

1988

Lean combines best of Pre-Fordist (high worker control but inefficient) and Fordist systems (low worker control but efficient)
Low inventory is high risk and high return

Question 7

Cusumano

Answer 7

1994

Lean characterized by JIT, small inventories, work standardization, demand-pull production and incremental improvement. Pioneered by Toyota (aka TPS).

Question 8

Wakayabashi

Answer 8

2010

Standardization of parts helps to simplify production and achieve economies of scale.

Question 9

Levitt

Answer 9

1972

Services should be seen in a similar way to manufacturing, continuous improvement could result. Uses McDonalds as example:: no employee discretion; hamburger patties packaged and premeasured.

Question 10

Womack and Jones

Answer 10

1996

Reducing inventory size is key for improving quality/ responsiveness; rapid turnover of components - quicker to identify errors/implement improvements