Lean Manufacturing (Spring 2003)

These are example papers from the Spring 2003 IEN780S class to give you an idea of papers I liked. As this is from the latest semester, the format of these papers is more correct.

Ronald W. Goddard - The Role of Information Technology in the Lean Enterprise - What happens when the Lean Production System and Enterprise Resource Planning Systems meet within the same organization? Enterprise Resource Planning systems, the leading use of information technologies in the business sector, now represent a cumulative multi-billion dollar investment built on thirty years experience with Manufacturing Resource Planning, adding extensions for supply-chain management and capacity constraints, and are commonly recognized as a key enabling technology for “World-Class Companies”. Likewise, the Lean Production System, with only a decade of worldwide exposure, has become recognized as a leading enabler of “World Class Competitors”. One cannot do a web search for Lean without finding dozens of consulting firms offering to guide companies through an implementation. As is often the case when companies retool their operations to gain a competitive advantage, dual implementations of Lean and ERP, rather than the implementation of a single system, has become a practical reality. “Lean vs ERP” (Bartholomew, 1999) introduces the likely negative interactions and incompatibilities between the Lean Production System and Enterprise Resource Planning Systems. “Advanced Planning Systems as an Enabler of Lean Manufacturing” (Liker, 1999) provides a case in favor of dual implementation by focusing on advanced planning systems such as ERP in a secondary, subservient role to the Lean Production System. “Does ERP Fit in a LEAN World?” (Bradford, Mayfield, Toney, 2001) discusses emerging trends in software that as ERP solution vendors begin to provide tools targeting their perception of the needs of the Lean Enterprise.

Curtis A. Richardson - Implementing Total Productive Maintenance - Siiechi Nakajima introduced the concept of total productive maintenance (TPM) at Nippondenso in 1971. Similar to other Lean practices, implementation has been attempted by a number of companies with varying results. Bamber, Sharp, and Hides use details of TPM implementation at the Rover Group and GKN to assess the requirements and success of TPM at TCE. Bohoris, Vamvalis, Trace and Ignatiadou provide in-depth coverage of TPM implementation history at Land Rover Transmissions with special emphasis on their use of a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS). Patterson, Frendendall Kennedy, and McGee the implementation methods Asten, Inc. utilized to implement TPM and an evaluation of their success. The papers reviewed here illustrate the use of TPM at several companies, their implementation strategies and which factors have affected the success of their implementation efforts.

Sabriye Sibel Erkilic - Job Rotation and Applications in Industry - Companies have been using job rotation for years because job rotation is a method to achieve many different human resources objectives. Job rotation is a systematic movement of employees from job to job within a company. This systematic movement differs from one company to another, although the aim is usually the same. The first article defines job rotation and demonstrates a case study in order to explain outcomes of job rotation throughout the company. It also gives a conceptual framework for job rotation by discussing related literature. The second article argues for interfunctional personnel transfer in Japanese companies and tries to show the general trend of job rotation by empirical studies. The third article discusses how job rotation is applied in Japan and the US and what factors are causing differences between two countries. Hence, this paper gives an overall view of job rotation, its applications and results in companies. Also the reasons for different job rotation rates between Japan and the US are introduced in this paper.

Supply Chain Management (Fall 2001)

These are example papers from the Fall 2001 IEN780N class to give you an idea of papers I liked.

Ahmad O Mahmassani - Supply Chain Management-Power Issues And Problems - Most supply chain management literature refers to collaboration and information sharing between customers and suppliers as the predominant theme in a successful supply chain. Unfortunately, not all supply chains are successful. One cannot ignore the fact that problems do exist between companies in a supply chain, whether it is due to a power imbalance in the chain or due to corporate warfare between different members of the chain. Furthermore, various problems do exist in implementing supply chain management in an engineer to order (ETO) environment. This paper provides an overview of the aforementioned problems as they relate to the relationship between the customer and the suppliers in a supply chain by reviewing three selected articles in that area.

Keng-Li Chou - The Concepts of Supply Chain- Supply chain management (SCM) is a hot topic today. Many companies are implementing SCM in an effort to increase profits and customer satisfaction. The first article discusses SCM as the strategy through which the integration of the various nodes along the supply chain can be achieved. The second article describes several guidelines that supply chain managers should follow in order to achieve SCM success. The third article describes the types of information shared: inventory, sales, demand forecast, order status, and production schedule. The article also discusses how and why this information is shared using industry examples and relating them to academic research. This paper presents the results of the analysis of three articles that describe SCM and its basic concepts as well as advances in information system technology for the evolution of supply chain management.

Sriram Swaminathan - Definitions and methods of SCM - In this contemporary world, fierce competition has forced many manufacturing companies to abandon old practices and switch to new practices like supply chain management. Supply chain management (SCM) has become a standard business principle in many organizations. Supply chains exist in both service and manufacturing organizations, although the complexity of the chain may vary greatly from industry to industry and firm to firm. For effective implementation of supply chain, it is essential that the network be integrated. The use of the internet proves to be one of the major tools in improving the information sharing in the supply chain network and thereby integrating the enterprise. This paper provides a clear overview of supply chain definitions and methods, its evolution and its implications across the internet. The strategies to overcome the problems in supply chain and the methodologies for effective implementation are also discussed.

Krishnan Krishnaiyer - Re-engineering models for supply chain - Business process re-engineering has been a topic of research for many decades. Re-engineering an organization for radical and dramatic improvement cannot be achieved without a seamless integration and re-allocation of resources. A paradigm shift and comprehensive understanding of business process and methodologies are essential to be a supply chain focused enterprise. This paper provides an overview of the various models that can be used for re-engineering a supply chain.

Lean Manufacturing (Spring 2001)

These are example papers from the Spring 2001 IEN780S class to give you an idea of papers I liked.

Kartik Ramachandran - A COMPLETE GUIDE FOR LEAN MANUFACTURING - Competitive forces are intensifying. Companies adapt various techniques to be successful. Lean manufacturing is one of them to thrive in such an environment. Lean is the latest buzzword in today's industry. It is a philosophy as well as a set of methods for dramatically reducing time from customer order to building and shipping product. Lean manufacturing is a systematic approach to identifying and eliminating waste (non value-added activities) through continuous improvement by flowing the product at the pull of the customer in pursuit of perfection. Lean systems are highly flexible to customer requirements. Lean is all about doing more with less. For companies to successfully implement lean it is very much required that they understand the problems also that are associated with these. A through understanding of the problems helps companies think of counter measures much before implementing lean than at a later stage. This paper gives a complete guide to lean manufacturing by discussing about the advantages of lean manufacturing, a systematic and scientific method for adapting this and the problems faced during implementation.

Brandon Lee - VALUE STREAM MAPPING - A major activity in the journey towards lean is the effective management of the flow of products and services through the series of the activities involved in providing value to the customer, known as the value stream. This requires a detailed understanding of all the processes involved so that non-value-added activities can be identified and eliminated. Value stream mapping is a technique that can aid in developing this required knowledge. This paper provides a detailed introduction to value stream mapping through the review of three articles on the topic. The articles are specifically ordered such that each article utilizes the techniques introduced in the previous article. In addition to overviews of the contents of the three articles, this paper also provides explicit recommendations for each article and describes how the techniques introduced can be incorporated into my work.

Enterprise Engineering (Spring 2000)

These are example papers from the Spring 2000 IEN880I class to give you an idea of papers I liked.

Holly Dixon - MANAGING CHANGE - Change is something companies must do if they are to survive and compete in today's business world. The three articles reviewed for this paper explain how change can be managed and implemented so the company's culture is not disrupted. The articles also stress it is important to make sure change can be sustained over a long period of time. When a change is taking place it needs to be implemented so it makes sense to the company's culture and environment. The authors suggest ways to help mange the change, but each company must adapt the ideas to their own culture, there is no one set formula for change. This paper provides an overview of how companies should manage change so a sustainable culture is created that can compete long term.

Swapnil Shah - IDEF Modeling - Paper one "IDEF*: a comprehensive modeling methodology for the development of manufacturing enterprise systems" [1] discusses IDEF* modeling methodology which is used to reduce the incompatibility between the models and help modeling maintenance. The paper also gives information on the structure and various components of the supporting software tool that is used. Paper two "A knowledge-based approach to the generation of IDEF0 models" [2] discusses IDEF0 modeling. It explains how IDEF0 modeling can be used for modeling manufacturing systems. Knowledge-based system approach is explained so as to automate the modeling processes in order to reduce the modeling time and maintain consistency. Paper three "Implementing IDEF Techniques as Simulation Modelling Specifications" [3] explains IDEF0 modeling and gives information on simulation and how IDEF can help in simulation processes. The paper also discusses a case study in brief to explain IDEF modeling and in its implementation in simulation.

Pankaj Raj Sinha - BPR and TQM - In today's era management are confronted with new methodologies to provide competitive solutions. Enterprise engineering focuses on the planning of the future enterprise, as well as the methods needed to transform the enterprise. The synchronized implementation of these methods facilitates in achieving the expected benefits. The paper focuses on two such methods, business process reengineering (BPR) and total quality management providing a critical review for each of the literature selected and proposing some additional insights. The goal here is to study various approaches, develop in-depth understanding of methodologies, and highlight the obvious pitfalls.

Ameya Warty - OBJECT -ORIENTED MODELING - The integration and coordination of business processes in an enterprise is crucial for company's efforts to achieve its strategic goal. This paper reviews three articles and introduces a modeling scheme, which supports process centered approach in modeling the organizational structure. Since I was not familiar with this modeling concept I started with a paper fairly simple to understand. My first paper entitled "Object Oriented modeling for enterprise-level Concurrent Engineering" provides a fundamental framework for shifting from structured type traditional methods to an object technology. My second paper entitled "A DSS approach to developing systems to support production planning and control in smaller companies" uses a hybrid relational database/ object oriented modeling approach along with 'bill of production' for each item to model dynamic environment. The third paper entitled "Implementation of an object oriented tool for the simulation of manufacturing systems and its application to study the effect of flexibility" describes an object oriented simulator tool used for modeling flexible manufacturing systems. This paper introduces a design paradigm in which a system is modeled, analyzed and implemented to define corporations overall need and facilitate effective decision-making.

Glenn Whiteside - BUSINESS PROCESS MODELING - The first article (Yu, Mylopoulos & Lesperance, 1996), reviews three process modeling methods, Strategic Dependency, Strategic Rationale, and Business Process and their associated tools. The second article (Kueng & Kawalek, 1997) makes several key points that process models are only a burden if they are misunderstood, implemented poorly, and contribute little to the overall improvement process. The third article (Ramanathan, 1996) reviews the main components of business processes, the objectives of a workflow project, the critical time aspects of project planning and completion, strategic core process improvements, development, integration, and productionizing of the process model, and continuous improvement as the process model matures.

This paper provides an overview of these articles and then discusses how specific key concepts from these articles could be incorporated into the student's current job.

Topic Papers from Spring 2004

IDEF3 - Ginny Youse

Organizational Design - Jose Ceciliano

Business Process Outsourcing - Michelle Bernbeck-Martin