Introduction
Total Quality management and business strategy re-engineering serve to show that there are profits associable with a process orientation view of a company. Employing a methodology for business improvement is only possible with the availability of the tools and equipment required for the methodology. With the trends, companies are embracing a process with the view of benefitting from the latter. Process management provides a means by which processes can be maximally utilized to give the greatest possible results.
Process analysis tools
According to the author, these tools are broadly categorized under paper based software supported tools and software enabled tools. The tools available under paper based tools are as briefly explained below. The Integrated computer aided manufacture DEFinition (IDEF) methodology was structured to aid in its process of supplier development and evaluation. Variants of the IDEF methodology were put in place. The key ones are IDEF0, IDEF3, IDEF2, IDEF1 and IDEF1x.
IDEF0 is a method used all through organizational systems, providing a description of functions and processes in manufacturing. An IDEF0 consists of diagrams, text and glossary. The graphical presentation (under diagrams) uses input, control, output and mechanism codes for elaboration. IDEF0 is a suitable tool for the visualization of complex manufacturing systems, owing to the fact that it is broken down from top to bottom. IDEF3 was created to model a sequence of activities performed. It captures the description of what a system actually does. There are two basic components of the IDEF3 language: the process flow description and object state transition network description (OSTN). Some of the general uses of IDEF3 are: providing a method for data recording and data analysis, support system design and design trade off analysis; and helping experts create a resource base in the development of expert systems.
IDEF1 and IDEF1x. IDEF1 was designed as a method to help organizations analyze and determine the information resource management needs and requirements. It captures the information in both automated and non-automated. The basic constructs of IDEF1 contain entities, attributes and relationships. This information model is advantageous as it provides an invariant structure around which databases and application systems can be signed to handle the requirements of manufacturing information.
IDEF1x is an extension of IDEF1 which has a better graphical presentation, simplified development procedures and enhanced semantic richness. It is most useful for logical database design after information requirements are determined. IDEF2: describes the dynamics aspects of a system – the resources used to produce a product, the path an entity can take and the resources needed during the path. IDEF2 is a simulation tool. It does not provide any specific graphical tools but in their place facilitates use of language-specific diagrams.
A general characteristic of paper based tools is that they are limited by the medium of presentation and are therefore focused towards modeling only a few specific features of a process. To completely represent a process, many different characteristics such as resources, timing and decision need to be heeded to.
Analysis
The process analysis tools are very important in bettering any business enterprise. Every business needs principles and rules to heed to. Paper based tools provide the most important of these, resources, timing and decision. A business can easily succeed by doing proper timing, good decision making and with availability of resources (Saunders, 2008). The use of graphical presentation in planning for business is a vital procedure. It is useful in making it possible to balance the input and output. This forms the basis of effective control in business. These factors are well covered in IDEF0 which comprises use of diagrams, texts and glossary. This could be well applied in a business of any nature, an enterprise or a small business. What is more important about this is the fact that every person who is part of the business will find it necessary to meet the demands of the objectives set and the profit goes to the business or organization (Kostur, 2003). This is the most pleasant thing I learnt about this article.
Practically the process analysis tools can be used in a shoe company aiming to expand its market by first diversifying in variety of the shoes manufactured, with the aim of reaching a wider market. The constraints, input, output and mechanism used will all be gauged and profitability evaluated. This will be useful in determining whether to proceed on the same or to try an alternative in business (Grady, 2006).
However, something I disliked about the process analysis tools is the concept of overlap between activities. The author informs that most companies are striving to achieve a system of overlap between activities. This consists of a procedure in which a mission is defined, the concept defined, product designed, then follows prototyping, product engineering and finally manufacturing takes place. The original idea is good as the result of this would be competition between companies and brands to give the best to the customers. However, this subsequently leads to unhealthy competition between brands, and the consumer ends up losing (Saunders, 2008).
A practical example of such a scenario is the market of mobile phones, in which all brands compete to provide phones with superior performance, great in functionality and still low priced to suit the needs of the customers (Grady, 2006). This is what results in production of fake brands in the market. The fake brands in most cases resemble particular superior brands and are pocket friendly. Many customers have bought such fake products without their knowledge and it only comes to their realization that the brand was made to have a very short life. The consumers have to purchase a new phone, without assurance that the brand is good.
Application in business
When creating a business, I would need to be well informed of my potential competitors, have general knowledge about the business and know the means to keep up in business. For this reason, I would need efficient means of data recording, data analysis as well as data storage. For this purpose, I would go for the IDEF3 analysis tool due to the fact that it would help me to create a resource base in development of an efficient trading system. It would be possible for me to make record of the sales or services that I make within a pre-defined period of time, making it easier for me to evaluate the profit and loss incurred (Grady, 2006). With this, I would be able to take progressive measures and ensure that my business enterprise is always above what competitors have as their best.
In my private analysis of the resources that are used to run the company, as well as analyzing the path my business has taken, IDEF2 tools would come handy. This is considering the fact that the IDEF2 tools are critical in achieving knowledge of the path that an entity takes. The use of language specific diagrams would be important in a personal assessment and would be more efficient than too much graphic-oriented tools. Personal assessment would be necessary more than other assessments that are undertaken by the business considering the fact that I as the owner needs to be able to determine the path that I would like my business enterprise to take, hence necessitating the use of IDEF2 tools. I would therefore at all times keep myself informed on the direction my business is taking.
Employees form a very crucial part of any business enterprise. They form the work force and are the strength to keep any business going strong (Kostur, 2003). Good relations with my employees coupled with motivation in their undertakings in business are vital in maintenance of a strong business foundation. To make it easy for my employees to implement my policies, I would go for IDEF1x in their field of work (Saunders, 2008). This is due to the fact that the graphic presentation used is more simplified and this would make it possible for them to understand the plans laid out at a glance. Proper understanding is crucial in business as it makes it easier for the employees to assist in making the business realize the intended profits.
Conclusion
Process analysis tools are crucial in process improvement consequent profitability in a business’s venturing. According to the author, all the IDEF techniques should be implemented to for a company to realize profits. With the elimination of the idea of overlap between techniques, implementation of these analysis tools would be helpful in making a company to realize growth (Kostur, 2003). This would lead to the healthy competition that is good for positive growth for the benefit of the consumers and the best players in business.
References:
Grady, J. (2006). System requirements analysis. New York: Academic Press
Hooley, G., Piercy, N. & Saunders, J. (2008). Marketing Strategy and Competitive Positioning. Berlin: Prentice Hall
Rockley, A., Kostur, P. (2003). Managing enterprise content: a unified content strategy. Manchester: New Riders