2.3.1 The functional team The hierarchical structure described above divides groups of people along largely functional lines: people working together carry out the same or similar functions. A functional team is a team in which work is carried out within such a functionally organised group. This can be project work. In organisations in which the functional divisions are relatively rigid, project work can be handed from one functional team to another in order to complete the work. For example, work on a new product can
2.3 Types of teams Different organisations or organisational settings lead to different types of team. The type of team affects how that team is managed, what the communication needs of the team are and, where appropriate, what aspects of the project the project manager needs to emphasise. A work group or team may be permanent, forming part of the organisation's structure, such as a top management team, or temporary, such as a task force assembled to see through a particular project. Members may work as a group
6.5 Market experience It is some 20 years since the Topper project was conceived by Peter Bean, Technical Director of Rolinx and Ian Proctor, the designer of the original GRP boat. Sales initially were excellent, especially to sailing schools and clubs where there was much demand for a small, light and very safe sailing boat for children. But after that, the market became saturated, sales were heavily dependant on individuals and families, so decreased despite attempts to export the boat to the USA and Israel, for
4.3.1 Initiation Initiation is the mechanism which starts the polymerization process. Vinyl monomers are quite easily polymerized by a variety of activating methods. Styrene, for example, can be converted to solid polymer simply by heating, and ultraviolet light can have exactly the same effect. Usually, however, an activating agent is used. This is an unstable chemical which produces active species that attack the monomer. A good example is benzoyl peroxide which splits up when heated:
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2.4 Models as part of systems work Thinking systemically involves identifying systems relevant to some situation, and models are invariably used as part of this process. An example of this forms part of Checklands' Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) (Checkland, 1981). One aspect of this methodology concerns the formulation of a root definition of some system that is relevant to the situation of interest and the construction of a conceptual model of this system. The root definition is a concise, verbal description of what a
2.1 Defining ‘model’ The word ‘model’ has a range of colloquial and technical interpretations, so we need first to establish the way in which this unit uses the term. As a start, we might suggest that a model is a simplified representation of reality, but even that simple definition raises some quite significant philosophical questions. A profound question is ‘what is reality?’ and I will briefly mention the distinction between modern and postmodern views of this later as an aside. Without getting
References 4.6 Systems engineering: the recent development of a discipline The recent development of systems engineering can be dated from two events. First, following the lead of the US Department of Defense and its introduction of standards for contractors, systems engineering was taken up by companies such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin and, in the UK, British Aerospace, Marconi and the Lucas Group. Second, in August 1990, a group of individuals interested in systems engineering met in Seattle (Box 10 – extract from a paper presented at the International Committee 4.4 The use of systems engineering in organisations: different organisational arrangements Hall identified three different organisational arrangements that might provide a framework within which systems engineering work could take place within the organisation. The first of these, which he termed the departmental form and regarded as the lowest level of arrangement, was essentially a temporary team of specialists brought together, under the management of a team leader, to undertake a specific project. The team consisted of members of each of the specialist development departments a 3.10 Systems techniques The two systems methodologies provide a framework for the application of problem solving, analysis and design techniques. These fall into three groups. Diagramming: ranging from single systems maps to complex flow charts. Diagrams of one sort or another provide a method of analysis, design and communication. Modelling: simulation is used extensively to analyse the dynamics of an existing system and to predict the behaviour of a propos Stage 6: Debate on feasible and desirable changes The comparison undertaken in the previous stage can have two results. It can cause opinions to change on the problem situation and the issues arising from it. It can provide an agenda for change. In either case (though both may result), the objective of this stage is to debate, with all concerned, the changes proposed to ensure that they are both desirable and feasible. The aim is to arrive at consensus about the prop Implementation Implementation involves all the detailed design, development and installation tasks required to get the agreed proposal operating.
Figure 34 shows an arrow leading from ‘implementation’ to ‘problem/opportunity’; this recognises that implementation is never the end of the story 3.8 Systems methodologies for managing change: hard systems approach The stages of the hard systems approach are illustrated in Figure 34 and simplified in Figu 2.2 A modern view Modern attempts to define engineering recognise the importance of the resources identified by Sage, and that the subject can be divided into two components: engineering knowledge – the ‘know-what’, and engineering process – the ‘know-how’. Engineering knowledge is: […] the growing body of facts, experience and skills in science, engineering and technology disciplines; coupled to an understanding of th 1.2 The Phoenix project It is all too easy to dismiss problems like that being experienced with the tax credit system as being inherent in the design and implementation of computer-based systems. But they are not restricted to computer systems, as the example of the Phoenix project in Box 2 shows. 2.6.1 Connectors Many techniques have been used to design connectors that align the fibre ends accurately with high reliability and a long lifetime. The development of such components, at a low enough price, has been an important part of the overall development which has made fibre a feasible proposition for commercial transmission systems. With fibre attenuation down to 0.2 dB km−1 (for single-mode fibre), the losses resulting from connectors and splices can be very significant over a whol 4.6 What matters? When the laptop is confirmed to be uncompromised, it is interesting that none of the characters cheers, although they all seem to be relieved. In other words, when the statement comes up, ‘laptop is uncompromised’, people seem to think that is ‘good’, the outcome is fine. They seem to have forgotten that the technician is probably dead at the time. So, in their deliberations, a person's life is forgotten. I am sure that, if they were reminded of it, they would, of course, say that thi 6.8 Anticipating the arguments 18. Have the objectives and perspectives of all the key stakeholders concerned with the decision been taken account of in the previous assessment of costs, benefits and risks? 19. What are the reasons that this proposal is preferred over other op Learning outcomes By the end of this unit you should be able to: make an effective business case for a change to an operations activity or similar using appropriate written and/or oral forms of communication; show the widespread utility of operations management principles at all levels across all types of organisation; introduce a transformation model of operations management, with stakeholder value as the principle output; provide models, concepts and Acknowledgements The content acknowledged below is Proprietary (see terms and conditions) and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Licence. Grateful acknowledgement is made to the following sources: Figures 33, 37, 38, 40: Courtesy of Trik
Box 2 Fly-away drones put robot air force off course
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