Compareand Contrast the Case described in the Goal to MBP`s Workflow
Whatare the most important similarities?
TheGoal describes its constraints as costs, material control,bottlenecks, technology, and delays. It is then realized that thelimitations lead to the management coming up with useful tools tomanage the processes which enhance the limitations. The Goal furthercomes up with the raft of ideas that would lead to the solution tothe constraints and thus give rise to the efficiency and theeffectiveness that is much needed to make the processes economicaland easy for higher productivity and thus output. The tool providedis the Socratic method which gives way out of the constraints byensuring that the process is well-monitored ant controls are in place(Goldratt, Cox, and Whitford, 2004). The project is then run in asystematic manner where the controls are done using the five steps ofDMAIC. In the MBP`s workflow, the constraints that are identified areinventory accuracy, delays, the number of quality escapes due tofailed technology, poor documentation, and delays. All therestrictions are then given the control tool to run the projectswhile monitoring every step of the development (Dubey and Yadav,2016). The tool provided is a five-step tool of DMAIC which gives thesystematic way of handling the project through the phases of Define,Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control. The measures have theirdetails that help in making sure that the project is well run.
Whatare the most important differences?
Thegoal is informal, or an analogy is given in the form of a story whereone runs the affairs concerning personal life. A case in point iswhere Jonah teaches Alex Rogo using the Socratic Method where duringphone calls Jonah poses questions to Alex or a member of the crewthat leads to them having a conversation which culminates to asolution. While with the wife, he finds the Socratic Method to fixthe family problems, and while with the crew at the plant, he holds adiscussion and comes up with the five steps used to fix problems inthe plant (Brinkmann, Lindemann, and Sims, 2014). Out of those, thethree things every division manager, the position held by Alex,should be able to do (Goldratt, Cox, and Whitford, 2004). In theMBP`s workflow, the tool used is the DMAIC method where severalthings come out. The project charter is defined during the planningphase the SIPOC diagram gives the measurable metrics, the high-levelprocess map is derived, and improvement tools are addressed in theareas where there is a need for improvement which is a project withinthe main one. At the control phase, the whole project is audited withthe customer requirement matrix (Dubey and Yadav, 2016). The MBP`sworkflow is more professionally managed than the one presented by theGoal.
Whatpoints from the Goal would be the most useful to apply to improve theworkplace?
Themanufacturing process is a critical and delicate process whichrequires a lot of controls and strict following of the controls usingthe control tools. In the Goal, the management oriented manufacturingprocess has come up in the sense that the Socratic Method is veryapplicable as the analogies given could apply universally. In theconversation between Jonah and Alex, one can tell that the method andthe control tools are straightforward and applicable. They involvemuch of conversation and discussion that brings the brains together,and brainstorms so as to bring out ideas from the members of the team(Goldratt, Cox, and Whitford, 2004). The ideas generated frombrainstorming when put into consideration brings out the desiredsolution for the issue at hand. Another point is that a freetechnology though outdated is more efficient as the cost involvedonly the repair. That shows that if a machine is obsolete butproductive, it is imperative it is maintained as a standby technologyfor the purpose of meeting the excess demand emanating at theactivity based level need.
Howwould you consider introducing this methodology into the workplace?What might be some of the challenges?
Themethod is an effective one and brings the members of the teamtogether where they feel part of decision-making process. Thereforeintroduction would involve bringing another type of leadership in thesense that it is people oriented where every member of the team is acritical component in any decision made. That would mean that themanager brings the issues to the table during meetings where allemployees regardless of how junior or senior they are so thatbrainstorming is done and the ideas generated are put together by theleadership (Brinkmann, Lindemann, and Sims, 2014). Those ideas bringout the decision which is more refined than would have been if onlythe top organ made it.
However,the challenges would be introducing a new way of running the affairsof the company where the senior management feels that they have beendeprived of their so-called right to decide on their own. Those arethe executives who are change resistant, and as such, the challengecomes in implementing the new management process (Brinkmann,Lindemann, and Sims, 2014). Further, the decision-making processbecomes too lengthy as there is consideration of so many ideas, someof which are irrelevant and digressive from the main agenda ofbrainstorming.
Inconclusion, management oriented novel The Goal is a helpful book asit gives a clear fictional story of the Directorate and theapplicability of the story can be combined with the academicknowledge acquired from the school and the work experience. As such,there is a need for the management to try new means and processes sothat new results can be realized (Dianu, Riihijarvi, and Petrova,2014). The delicate management processes are dynamic and cannot beoverlooked as any mistake done results to losses. In projectmanagement, the processes need to be monitored and strong controlmeasures established and implemented would lead to profitableresults.
References
Brinkmann,J., Lindemann, B., & Sims, R. R. (2014). Voicing Moral Concerns:Yes, But How?
TheUse of Socratic Dialogue Methodology. Journalof Business Ethics,1-13.
Dianu,M. D., Riihijärvi, J., & Petrova, M. (2014, June).Measurement-Based Study of the
Performanceof IEEE 802.11 ac in an Indoor Environment. In 2014IEEE International
Conferenceon Communications (ICC)(pp. 5771-5776). IEEE.
Dubey,A., & Yadav, S. (2016). Implementation of six sigma DMAICmethodology in precast
industryfor quality improvement.
Goldratt,E. M., Cox, J., Cox, J., & Whitford, D. (2004). The Goal: AProcess of Ongoing
Improvement(3rd ed.). Great Barrington, MA: The North River Press Publishing
Corporation.ISBN-13: 978-0884271789.
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