Business Process Improvement Overview

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Questions and Answers

What is one of the key components, other than cost, that contributes to overall 'value' according to the content?

  • Market share
  • Advertising spend
  • Environmental considerations (correct)
  • Profit margin

According to the content, at which stage does the cost of poor quality typically become the most substantial?

  • Procurement phase
  • Production phase
  • Customer site (correct)
  • Design phase

Which of the following statements about culture is most strongly emphasized?

  • Good processes will always be more effective than good culture.
  • Culture is irrelevant when processes are automated.
  • Good culture can overcome poor processes. (correct)
  • Culture is primarily driven by strong leadership only.

What does the content suggest is the most important factor to consider, when creating the right culture for a business?

<p>Finding a model that drives the right behaviour (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary point being made by including a list of recent recall URLs?

<p>To demonstrate instances of poor quality control. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best exemplifies resistance to change in a business context?

<p>We are unique; standard methodologies won't fit us. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

According to the content, what is fundamental to every business?

<p>A series of activities or tasks creating a product or service. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the key idea behind the ability to improve a process?

<p>Identifying the process steps and any inefficiencies. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the concept of 'we become conditioned' imply in the context of work?

<p>Habits and perspectives are shaped by the workplace environment. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main focus of operational excellence?

<p>Continuous improvement and high efficiency. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of these is considered long-term in orientation, according to the material?

<p>Offering customers the best value for money. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

According to the material, who ultimately defines value?

<p>The customer. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What might constitute a 'process element' according to the provided content?

<p>Inputs, outputs, resources, constraints, costs, timing, value, and defects. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

What is a Process?

A series of actions or steps taken in a specific order to achieve a desired outcome.

Every Business is a Process

Every business, regardless of industry or product, consists of a set of activities or tasks aimed at delivering a specific service or product to customers.

If you can SEE your Process, then you can IMPROVE it!

The belief that improvements can be made by visually analyzing the process steps, identifying areas of waste, constraints, errors, bottlenecks, and other inefficiencies.

Operational Excellence

The concept that continuous improvement in operations is crucial for achieving high efficiency, quality, and customer satisfaction.

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Business Success – Value

The success of a business is often based on providing value to customers through a product or service.

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Value is Perceived by the Customer

The customer determines the value they perceive in a product or service.

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Resistance to Change (We're Different)

The resistance to change due to the belief that the organization is unique and existing practices cannot be adapted.

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We Become Conditioned by Where We Work

The tendency for individuals to become accustomed to their work environment and resist changes that disrupt their routines.

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Cost of Poor Quality

The cost of poor quality is significant, and it's not just about the price of fixing mistakes. It can impact time, resources, reputation, and customer satisfaction. Failing to get it right the first time can create a ripple effect throughout the process, leading to inefficient operations, delays, and unhappy clients.

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Organizational Culture

The way things are done in an organization - the shared values, beliefs, and behaviors. It's the unspoken rules and norms that guide people's actions. Culture makes things happen. It either supports processes, or it hinders them.

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What is Value?

A crucial factor in ensuring value. It's the quality, safety, efficiency, well-being, health, happiness, environmental impact, compliance, and emotional appeal of a product or service. Value is about how it benefits customers.

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Not Getting it Right First Time

The act of not following through with the proper research, design, and production stages leads to a product that may be faulty or have unintended consequences. These errors can require costly rework, delays, and even recalls.

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Product Recalls

A situation where a product is withdrawn from the market due to safety concerns, defects, or other issues that pose a risk to consumers. It's usually done as a precaution to prevent harm. Recalls damage reputation, cost money and time, and put businesses at risk.

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Study Notes

Resistance to Change

  • Common resistance arguments often center on perceived differences:
    • "Our business is unique; these methods don't apply."
    • "Lean and Six Sigma is for manufacturing; our business is different."
    • "We don't understand this industry."
    • "Regulations prevent change."
    • "We have no control over customers."
    • "We don't have any customers."

Every Business is a Process

  • All businesses involve activities that produce goods or services.
  • These processes consist of inputs, outputs, resources, constraints, limitations, parameters, costs, timing, value, availability, defects, feedback, and so on.

What is a Process?

  • A process is a series of actions leading to a specific outcome.

Process Improvement

  • To improve any process, identify steps, waste, problems, bottlenecks, and measure relevant factors.

Conditioning and Personal Factors

  • Work environments and personal beliefs influence behavior.

Defining Business Success

  • Exercise: Determine business success criteria.

Operational Excellence

  • Operational excellence is a management philosophy emphasizing continuous improvement, efficiency, quality, and customer satisfaction.

Business Success Metrics: Charge vs. Value

  • Some businesses succeed through high charges.

  • Other businesses succeed by delivering significant value.

    • Charge-oriented strategies are often short term.
    • Value-oriented strategies are usually long-term.

Defining Value

  • Value is defined by the customer.
  • Customer perception dictates the value of a product or service.

Value Factors

  • Value is more than cost; it includes safety, quality, efficiency, well-being, health, happiness, environmental compliance, emotionality, and others.

Cost of Poor Quality

  • Poor quality leads to higher costs throughout the production cycle.

    • Examples highlighted include the cost of design issues before procurement, production, shipping, and reaching the customer's site.
    • Data like $35.00, $177.00, $368.00, $17,000.00 to $690,000.00, and various other expenses, are given as illustrative examples of the cost of failure to deliver a proper product on time.

Recalls as a Problem

  • Current recalls provide real-world examples of poor quality costing companies and consumers time, money, and inconvenience.

Culture as a Factor

  • Culture, or "the way we do things here," greatly influences success.

  • Positive company culture and good processes are closely related.

    • A strong culture improves processes, but a negative culture can undermine even efficient processes.
    • Individuals form the culture, and it's important to foster the right behaviors.

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