Process improvement and departmental interfaces at ScrewFast Inc.

¶ … map, process chain) ScrewFast Inc. ( information case instructions Slack, "Operations Management," Chapter 5 flow charts) • Analyze interfaces departments ( case instructions) • Prepare a flow chart redesigned process • Provide detailed recommendations improvement ScrewFast Inc.

Screw Report

Screw Fast Inc. is a global company of screws and nuts and it is currently looking to restructure its processes and to improve its operations. The current project addresses this need by forwarding several recommendations.

Process flow chart

The chart below reveals the structure of the processes completed at Screw Fast Inc., and the lines below explain the flow chart.

The first process at Crew Fast Inc. is that of registering the orders, step which is completed with the aid of Customer Master Data and Article Master Data systems.

The new orders are processed based on the nature of the products demanded. Standardized products are ordered by the warehouse and non-standardized products are ordered by Sales. The standardized products are accompanied by warehousing indications, whereas the non-standardized products are accompanied by additional specifications from the customers.

The third stage is represented by production.

The standardized products enter pre-assembly and new materials are ordered when necessary.

Both standardized and non-standardized products are moved to packaging and labeling, after which they go through the process of quality control

If they pass quality control, the items are picked and shipped; if they do not pass quality control, the items are re-sent to production, re-entering the previous processes until approved at the desired standards of quality.

2. Interfaces between departments

Each department plays a distinctive role and reveals a distinctive importance -- as well as real and perceived -- within the entity. Virtually then, there are numerous interfaces between the departments. The warehousing department for instance is in charge of already existent products. It manages them and stores them, but it also plays the vital role of communicating information to management and production. In other words, the more important role of the warehousing department is that of managing inventories and communicating when the firm needs to produce more items.

Still, the interface of the warehousing department is perceived as more salient in comparison to other organizational segments, and this would be due to the fact that it deals with standardized products. The interface of the sales department on the other hand is more dynamic and this is explained by the dual role it plays. On the one hand, the sales department is important as it manages customer sales and it completes the processes which transform the company's finite products into financial results. On the other hand however, the sales department also generates interest as it receives and further communicates new orders of non-standardized products. These non-standardized products would be different from what the company normally produces and they represent a challenge. They as such stimulate innovation and development at the level of the overall company.

The quality control department is also one of the most important departments within Screw Fast Inc. It is often that internal entities within the firm perceive the department as harsh and strive to ensure that the products pass the tests developed by this organizational entity. Still, the quality control department presents an interface directly linked to customer satisfaction and this is the result of its efforts to provide clients with products of high standards of quality.

4. Recommendations for improvement

In light of the analysis conducted, the main necessity within Screw Fast Inc. is represented by the requirement to create more operational and organizational efficiencies. In order to accomplish this, the following recommendations are forwarded:

The company should purchase better technologies to use mainly within its production processes, but also throughout the entire organizational efforts. The purchase of these technologies would generate initial costs, but it would eventually materialize in cost efficiencies due to a reduction in the processing times, as well as an increase in the quality of the process results.

The provision of specialized training programs to the staff members in order to teach them how to use the newest technological acquisitions, but also to implement the focus on operational efficiency.

The creation of a working environment based on open and free communications. This would ensure a quick and efficient exchange of information and would provide the vitality of the organizational processes. Additionally, an open and communicative working environment also stimulates the staff members to increase their efforts and support the company in attaining its pre-established objectives. Also at this level, it is important to strengthen the organizational culture and to strive to retain and motivate the employees.

Finally, it is recommended for the firm to implement a series of short-term strategies that ensure cost efficiencies, such as eliminating the redundancies or outsourcing the non-core business. By eliminating these operations, the company would become better able to focus on its core operations, to reduce costs and to create as such more competitive advantages. Some examples of operations that could be outsourced include packaging or customer support through telephone calls.

Reference:

Case study of Screw Fast Inc. In Management Results