ASSESSING AN OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT PROBLEM AT WKK TECHNOLOGY LTD., AND RECOMMENDING A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM
WKK Technology Ltd. is the manufacturing subsidiary of WKK (Holdings) Ltd. The company is a complete electronics manufacturing service provider. WKK corporate headquarters are located in Hong Kong, while the manufacturing subsidiary is located in Shajin, Guangdong Provide in Southern China just north of Hong Kong ("About WKKT", 2004).
In recent months, WKK Technology has experienced increasingly serious problems associated with production operations. The most salient issues are (a) falling manufacturing productivity and (b) increasing overtime costs for both line workers and engineering staff. These operations management problems are related to one another (e.g., overtime costs affect productivity measures). The probability, however, is that an underlying problem is the root cause of both manifestations of the production problem at WKK Technology. Further, it is possible that actions at WKK (Holding) Ltd. In Hong Kong have an impact on production efficiency at WKK technology (all marketing operations, including customer specified product requirements are handled at corporate headquarters).
The researcher conducted an investigation of the production operations at WKK Technology to develop the data and other information required to assess the production problems at the manufacturing facility. Among other important information, it was determined that both the WKK (Holdings) operations in Hong Kong and the WKK Technology operations in Shajin are ISO 9000 certified. ISO 9000 certification implies that the company has in-place the necessary procedures and protocols to facilitate quality production and efficient production. From an operations management perspective, thus, it is necessary to identify the sources of difficulties that are impinging upon the efficient functioning of the production function at WKK Techn...