Production planning and inventory control in a company manufacturing PC parts: A case study

In this paper, we present a case study on the production planning and inventory system in a company manufacturing personal computer (PC) parts. In the case study, the targets are specified for developing a system for production planning and inventory control. The current state of the company is analysed for clarifying the points necessary to achieve the targets. Also, a system based on the analysis is proposed and its effects are estimated.     

Controlling and evaluation

Mr. Newton analyses the personnel strategy of Shell U.K. and describes how it is related to the corporate planning system. He then explains the measures which are taken to plan, control, and research the use of personnel. He deals in detail with the development of a computer based information system, attempts to determine the cost effectiveness of manpower, and the use of the Behavioural Sciences in a positive effort to shape personnel relations in the company. Finally, he mentions a number of changes which are likely to influence personnel strategy in the future.     

Strategies for marketing new computer products

Using the example of the computer industry, this paper explains how the marketing of new ‘high technology’ products can be improved by tailoring the extent and focus of prelaunch marketing planning to the nature and focus of the marketing strategy chosen for the new product.     

A modelling system for local government resource planning

A major problem in local government is how to maximise the effectiveness of resource allocation. Senior officers and members concerned with corporate and strategic issues must take account of contemporary information of considerable variety and combine this with estimates of the future in their attempts to achieve rational resource allocation. This article describes the development of an experimental computer based corporate modelling system at Clwyd County Council which was designed to support allocation decisions pertaining to a 5 year planning period. It is concluded that a firm basis was achieved for progress towards a comprehensive operational system.     

A structured procedure for materials planning during production transfer

This paper explores materials planning procedures to ensure the materials’ availability during production transfers. The paper defines a production transfer as the preparation, physical transfer and start-up of relocated production. A structured procedure of materials planning during production transfer is developed based on theory, and then validated and refined based on the analysis of four case studies. The paper shows that there is a need for a structured procedure of materials planning during production transfers. It also explains the importance of activities that create prerequisites for the materials’ availability during production transfer, such as updating and adapting documentation, planning and control systems, and describes the activities that ensure the materials’ availability, such as preventive and corrective actions. A valid estimation of the time needed to reach a steady state and a combination of several preventive actions improves the ability to ensure that materials are available. The cases showed differences across company size, because large companies took more and farther-reaching preventive actions.     

Analysing Space-Time Accessibility Towards the Implementation of the Light Rail System: The Case Study of Brescia

This paper proposes a methodology for investigation of the space–time relations of accessibility to public services and collective mobility. The paper assesses the space–time efficiency of local public transport facilities and makes an accessibility analysis as a baseline for evaluating future changes. It explains the potential for improvement and the effects on planning paradigms. Public transport accessibility greatly changes during day and night time so they should be assessed through multi-scaled and diachronic maps as a contribution to the timetable plan and overall planning strategies. The case study of Brescia, Italy is used to test the methodology. The new light rail system of Brescia entered into operation in 2013 and could change the entire form of urban mobility.     

REQUIREMENTS PLANNING FOR CONTROL OF INFORMATION RESOURCES

Producing reports assembled from files, records, and raw data is a major function of the computer in modern organizations. Transaction processing, records management, file organization, and data-base management are aspects of the information production function that have received a good deal of attention. But planning, scheduling, and controlling the production of information products have been neglected. For complex applications involving assembly of reports from multilevel information sources, the requirements planning model is suggested as an effective alternative to present methods. Thus, our suggestion is that the computer be used to plan, schedule, and control computer production of information products. Presently available material requirements planning software may be employed with minor modifications that depend on the given information system characteristics. In this paper an example of requirements planning as applied to production of information in a satellite control system is presented.     

A simulation system for corporate planning

This paper describes the structure and use of a general purpose simulation package developed for the interactive construction of dynamic computer-based simulation models. The package consists of a system of computer programs written in the BASIC language for a Digital PDP 11/70 time-sharing computer.The framework upon which the package is based is essentially an amalgamation of the System Dynamics and Input-Output approaches to the modelling of complex organizations. Networks of levels and flows provide the basis for dynamic, modular representation, while matrix algebra features provide the basis for aggregational flexibility and the analysis of multi- product multi-process industrial systems.The package is designed to provide planning managers with the ability to construct flexible models, localized or ‘corporate’, financial or non-financial, without the need for any programming in the conventional sense. A flow diagram of the system to be modelled guides the model builder in responding to computer terminal prompts which determine the model structure as a set of programmed relationships. This in turn gives rise to a further series of prompts at the terminal for the entry of all data pertinent to the model. Model editing and computation then proceeds, with user interaction, if desired, for amendments, monitoring of computations, and report generation.Two specific applications of the package are discussed in the latter part of the paper, and sample output from runs of both of the resultant models is provided.     

The design of computer based planning and modeling systems

Today there are nearly 2000 corporations in North America and Europe either using, developing, or experimenting with some form of corporate planning model. With the emergence of this new and rather substantial interest in the methodology of corporate planning modeling, there appears to be a definite need for a conceptual framework which can be used to design and implement computer based planning and modeling systems.In this paper the authors describe a collection of elements which they believe to be of critical importance in designing a corporate planning model. Their objective is to develop a set of criteria for not only designing a planning and modeling system, but a set of criteria which can also be used to facilitate the evaluation and comparison of alternative planning and modeling systems.There are over 50 planning and modeling software packages on the market today. These include systems such as BUDPLAN, COMOS and SIMPLAN. This paper attempts to provide the reader with a convenient checklist of possible features to consider in either designing one's own system or selecting an appropriate software package.     

Evaluating time/cost factors of implementation via GERT simulation

Managers in striving for system implementation often disregard the time and cost that must be expended in achieving implementation success. This paper explores the use of GERT network analysis as a tool for planning and ascertaining the expected time and cost of implementation. The supporting base for the study is an implementation process that employs computer gaming for achieving organizational change.     

Technological forecasting of supercomputer development: The March to Exascale computing

Advances in supercomputers have come at a steady pace over the past 20 years. The next milestone is to build an Exascale computer however this requires not only speed improvement but also significant enhancements for energy efficiency and massive parallelism. This paper examines technological progress of supercomputer development to identify the innovative potential of three leading technology paths toward Exascale development: hybrid system, multicore system and manycore system. Performance measurement and rate of change calculation were made by technology forecasting using data envelopment analysis (TFDEA.) The results indicate that the current level of technology and rate of progress can achieve Exascale performance between early 2021 and late 2022 as either hybrid systems or manycore systems.     

The impact of JIT on capacity management: A case study and analysis

This article describes the production planning and control techniques used at Verbatim Computer Disk Company in Charlotte, NC. The factory operates by management policy on a 24 hours-per-day, 7 days-per-week, 363 days-peryear, basis as if it were a process industry. Production of discrete units, computer disks, follows repetitive manufacturing methods including the implementation of just-in-time JIT methods into an existing material requirements planning MRP system. Production is based on the actual customer orders received from Marketing for disks from both US customers and international markets. Marketing uses price adjustments in coordination with Production Planning to ensure the factories operate at 100 capacity and within predefined inventory levels. This article discusses the relationship between Marketing and Manufacturing which allows for the attainment of a process industry-like economies of scale for a line of discrete products. Key characteristics of the production planning and control system are identified as are the current operating problems.     

Assessing the effectiveness of strategic planning

This paper describes a method for assessing the effectiveness of strategic planning systems in terms of the results actually observed subsequent to planning activity. The paper explains in particular how, in making the assessment, one might cope with the fact of environmental change subsequent to the setting of planned goals. This ends oriented approach to measuring effectiveness is shown to be complementary to process oriented approaches and is illustrated by an example from the coal industry.     

How corporate planning responds to uncertainty

This article is based upon an SSRC research project into the influence of computer methods on decision making. During this research, information on the planning systems of a cross-section of British industry was obtained.The paper illustrates how managers in these firms were coping with planning in the present conditions of extreme uncertainty about the future, combined with adverse economic and business conditions. Conventional planning theory, together with some modern observations on it, are briefly described and then the paper shows how, in the firms visited, the structure of planning was more complex than this theory.It goes on to show that today's critical conditions were not leading to management putting aside their plans and computer models and “muddling through’. They were actually leading to an acceleration in the adoption of formal planning and decision making methods but in a somewhat different manner to conventional planning theory.Seven different modes of planning were identified with integrated operational planning being the most common, possibly the most essential to survival and sometimes the only planning possible into today's conditions. A trend to extend the operational plan to 2 to 3 years and to reduce the firm's long range plan from 5 to 3 years was also observed.Long range plans were being considered as planning and decision making tools and not as blue-prints of the firm's future, as accurate long range forecasting was impossible. Three types of strategic planning were identified with that carried out at intervals probably being the most appropriate for medium sized firms in today's conditions.     

Manufacturing resource planning: An information systems model

This paper presents Manufacturing Resource Planning, an information system that will enable the developing and monitoring of strategic plans. Incorporation proven material and capacity requirements planning techniques, strategic planners can determine readily the impact of their plans on the manufacturing resources of the company. Decision making is more coordinated because all managers work from a common data base. However, the attainment of this level of planning sophistication is costly not only in capital outlays for computer software and hardware but also in the time to train users. But those firms who have successfully incorporated this integrated approach to strategic planning feel strongly that the end results justify the expenditures.     

An adaptive approach to shop loading

This paper extends previous approaches to loading job shops by simultaneously considering work in progress, inventory levels as well as work load smoothing. The approach is based on a heuristic and is relatively simple in application to a practical manufacturing system. A further enhancement is proposed using a computer search routine to home in on desirable performance. The search routine sets the values of coefficients in the heuristic and so gives a loading procedure that adapts to a particular manufacturing system. The overall results indicate that the approaches proposed give substantial benefits over previous methods.     

Planning for a university,using interactive forecasting

The benefits of programme review, forward planning and control have been demonstrated at the university-wide level. Within a faculty or department, there is also a clear need for developing and using planning methods which are rationally based and forward looking if appropriate responses to changing social and academic trends are to be made. This paper delineates a number of planning and control variables encountered at the faculty or departmental level, describes the development and use of a computer-based interactive forecasting model, and discusses the advantages and limitations of such models in planning a faculty's progress toward its goals.