Pages In APA Format: Review The Following Scenario

3 4 Pages In Apa Formatreview The Following Scenario

Review the following scenario: Your process team has two deliverables due shortly, each for a different client in a different industry but with the same fundamental objective of analyzing the current manufacturing or service operation and recommending changes. The first client, SBS Seating, manufactures front seats for several major car manufacturers, while the second is MLD Hospital's Diagnostic Medicine unit. SBS Seating manufactures leather seating that consists of various components, such as frames; electrical parts (heating and comfort features); padding; and leather sewing (final assembly). Each of these components is developed at separate locations, and the final assembly is done at the main plant.

MLD Hospital's Diagnostic Medicine unit is primarily responsible for processing patients' blood work. Patients are directed to one or more collection offices where blood is drawn, and then the blood is sent to various other departments depending on the test. Your task is to develop a high-level analysis of both clients' manufacturing processes as a preliminary report that will subsequently be delivered to the client. In this report, include the following: Contrast and compare manufacturing and service operations, and identify which to apply to SBS and MLD. Determine if SBS and MLD use batch or continuous flow processes in their manufacturing.

Should they modify significantly? Support your answer by providing examples based on the scenario, the addenda mentioned above, and any additional research. Determine if JIT or kanban principles can apply to either SBS or MLD, and justify your answer.

Paper For Above instruction

The analysis of manufacturing and service operations reveals distinct characteristics that influence how organizations manage their processes. Manufacturing operations, such as those at SBS Seating, focus on the production of tangible goods involving physical transformation, whereas service operations like MLD Hospital’s Diagnostic Medicine unit are centered on intangible processes that deliver a service directly to customers. This fundamental difference impacts how operations are structured and optimized, influencing the application of specific management principles like just-in-time (JIT) and kanban.

In manufacturing settings such as SBS Seating, the primary goal is efficient transformation of raw materials into finished products, often involving multiple stages of assembly and component manufacturing. SBS produces complex seating components at various locations, requiring coordination of disparate parts delivered to the final assembly site. This dispersed manufacturing setup may lead to the utilization of batch processing, where large quantities of components are produced at each stage before assembly. Batch processing is advantageous when preparing for large orders or when production volumes justify economies of scale. However, it can introduce inventory delays and reduce responsiveness to customer demand.

Conversely, MLD Hospital's Diagnostic Medicine unit offers healthcare services, which inherently involve variable customer demand and a focus on responsiveness and flexibility. In this context, the operation is predominantly service-based, characterized by high customer interaction and a need for quick turnaround times. The process flow here is more likely to resemble a continuous flow or a nonstop flow of blood samples through various testing stages to ensure timely results. Such operations are optimized for just-in-time processing, whereby resources are closely aligned with demand, reducing waiting times and inventory accumulation. The high variability of patient arrivals necessitates adaptive processes that can accommodate fluctuations in workload.

When considering the flow process types in each case, SBS Lighting’s manufacturing process resembles a batch process, given the segmented development of components at different locations before final assembly. The components are made in separate batches due to the specialized nature of each part, and subsequent assembly consolidates these parts into finished seats. This batch approach can be modified if the company aims to implement lean principles, shifting toward a more continuous flow to reduce inventory and lead time, especially for high-demand components.

MLD’s blood testing process aligns more closely with a continuous flow process, where samples are processed as they arrive, ensuring rapid turnaround times that are crucial in healthcare. This process is inherently an example of a health care service operation that benefits from lean principles like JIT and kanban. JIT helps minimize inventory of reagents and supplies, while kanban can manage workflow and resource allocation efficiently, ensuring that testing equipment and materials are available precisely when needed without overstocking.

Applying JIT and kanban principles to SBS Seating could lead to significant benefits, especially in reducing excess inventory and waste. For example, implementing kanban cards for parts replenishment could synchronize component deliveries with the assembly schedule, reducing storage costs and increasing responsiveness. However, the implementation should account for the complexity and variability in component demand; for instance, custom seat orders might require different scheduling strategies.

In MLD Hospital’s case, the application of JIT and kanban is highly appropriate due to the need for lean processing and reduced waste. Implementing a kanban system for managing blood sample flow between collection points and testing laboratories can improve workflow and ensure timely processing. JIT can reduce inventory of medical supplies, thus decreasing storage costs and ensuring fresh reagents are used, which is crucial for maintaining test accuracy. The high variability in demand requires flexible, responsive systems, which JIT and kanban can facilitate if properly adapted.

In conclusion, contrasting manufacturing and service operations highlights fundamental differences that influence process design and management. SBS Seating’s manufacturing process aligns more with batch processing, which can be optimized by shifting toward lean, continuous flow principles. MLD Hospital’s service process inherently demands flexible, lean operations, making JIT and kanban highly applicable to improve efficiency and responsiveness. Both organizations can benefit from adopting these principles, but the extent and specifics of implementation should be tailored to their unique operational contexts and customer demands.

References

• Chopra, S., & Meindl, P. (2016). Supply Chain Management: Strategy, Planning, and Operation (6th ed.). Pearson.
• Heizer, J., Render, B., & Munson, C. (2017). Operations Management (12th ed.). Pearson.
• James, P., & Akin, E. (2013). Healthcare Operations Management. Springer.
• Krajewski, L., Ritzman, L., & Malhotra, M. (2013). Operations Management: Processes and Supply Chains (10th ed.). Pearson.
• Shingo, S. (1989). A Study of the Toyota Production System from an Industrial Engineering Viewpoint. Productivity Press.
• Snyder, H. (2019). Healthcare Quality and Certification. CRC Press.
• Slack, N., Brandon-Jones, A., & Burgess, N. (2019). Operations Management (9th ed.). Pearson.
• Stevenson, W. J. (2018). Operations Management (13th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
• Womack, J., & Jones, D. (2003). Lean Thinking: Banish Waste and Create Wealth in Your Corporation. Free Press.
• Ohno, T. (1988). Toyota Production System: Beyond Large-Scale Production. CRC Press.