WORK DESIGN AND WORK RESULT Three Case Studies in

Three Case Studies in Operations and Project Management

Conveyor Belts and Call Centers 7

Operations and Project Management consists, broadly, of two elements. One is the efficient organization of work processes to maximize throughput and therefore efficiency while minimizing production costs. The other is ensuring that the work processes actually carried out are the work processes intended to be carried out - that is, that the goods or services produced are those advertised, and what the customer comes through the door to get.

Discussion of operations and project management concentrates heavily on the first of these two elements, the specific design of work processes for maximum efficiency. After various ups and downs over the years, this rationalist approach to management is again coming into vogue (Waas). This is the internal dimension, so to speak. The external dimension is the suitability of the product, and may be too readily taken for granted (Boje). The following three case studies explore various aspects of these related elements. The first case study deals purely with the internal dimension of creating a smooth, efficient work flow. The following two cases expand the question to deal with the nature of the product, and the subtle ways that produ

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, and the numbers are called when the order is ready. Contrary to the impression given by Burger King advertising, the more popular items, such as Whoppers, cannot actually be prepared to order when the outlet is at least moderately busy. When this writer ordered a couple of Whoppers, they were delivered in less time than it would take to cook them, indicating that I did not get "my" specially-ordered Whoppers, but the first ones off the line. However, this might have been different had my order made special requests. Much is made by Burger King of a build-it-yourself option. In practice this is not very different from the supply of condiments that would be provided by any fast-food outlet; the difference perhaps lies in customers being made more aware that they have access to the various condiments. While the overall back-of-the-counter production process is organized assembly-line style, as at other fast food outlets, the actual making of a Whopper appears to come closer to a streamlined version of traditional hamburger-making. In general, the Burger King production process also appears to be somewhat more labor-intensive, in proportion to store size and designed customer volume, than is the case at McDonald's.

Category: Business - W