An advantage of starting with islands of machines engaged in batch processing and then integrating the production process later is that production managers can identify the elements of the production process that will benefit most from an integrated production process. Another advantage of this approach is that production managers can identify the most effective integrated design for a production process.
A disadvantage of starting with islands of machines engaged in batch processing and then integrating the production process later is that the potential for wasted time will be increased when the several automated production processes at the islands are not coordinated to assure the most productive scheduling of assets (machines and manpower). Another disadvantage is that the scheduling of raw material deliveries will be less effective than otherwise would be the case.
Products that are appropriate for mass production and products designed for mass customization are most suitable for integrated production processes. Such products are most susceptible to computer-controlled production.
Products that are most suitable for batch production are those that are labor intensive. Products that require the specific performance of hand labor or the human inspection of almost every item produced can disrupt the flow of an integrated production system.
Planning. The planning process on most large organizations is a part of the strategic management process. Within this process, organizations determine what they want to accomplish, when they want the accomplishments to be realized, and what resources they will apply to the strategy.
Organizing. Large organizations approach to process of organizing from a variety of perspectives. Some large organizations adopt organizational structures that reflect specific functions [e.g., production, marketing, and so forth], while other large organizations adopt organizational structures based...