Operation Strategy (hoshin Kanri Model)

Operation Strategy (Hoshin Kanri Model)

The operation Deployment Policy Hoshin Kanri was first introduced in Japan in 1965, but was not proven effective until the early 80's. Hoshin means long range direction and Kanri stands for control system managing the project. Primary users of Hoshin Kanri were Bridgestone tires and Hewlett- Packer. In later years other companies began implementing Hoshin Kanri and further more improve on its extended policy usage on its extended its policy usage. Hoshin Kanri was design to do the following: Deploy and share direction and goals, Keep management on a close loop on a project, and organize top to bottom management in order for each section of a project conduct work according to plan. The following is the Seven Management Planning tools of Hoshin Kanri and how each one is familiar with Ralphs Distribution Center.

The Five S (Sort, Straighten, Shine, standardize, sustain)

5S is the name of workplace organization and standardized work procedures and use a list of Japanese words which are Seiri ( sort ), Seiton ( straighten ) Seiso (shine ) Seiketsu ( standardize ) Shtsuke ( sustain ) structured program to describes how to organize a workplace. (Hirano, 1996). This is basic comon knowledge in any project of business, what the five S does is simplifies the procedure. In many times this simple step is what causes caoises in the workplace. Ralphs Distribution Center has been sucessful in this process untill latley in wich the fell into the problem in which constant change of schedule and prodecures has cause these five S theory to collapse. I belive the starighten and susttain aspect of this proces as not yet been delat with. This was actually all caused do to a re structurizing of implementing new automating systems witin the distribution centers. A cahange in human resource wihtin every one of there four warehouses has caused a mis-calculation of how much prodcution each department can handle.

SMED (Single Minute Exchange of Die)

SMED is an abbreviation of Single Minute Exchange of Die. It is a method to reduce the time between the finish of the last product and the finish of the next product. This method was created by Shigeo Shingo. SMED often used with "quick change over". And SMED and quick change over due to increase rate of production and decrease production life cycle. (Shingo, 1985). This is commoly used in the Maufacturing side of Ralphs Distiubution center. This section is called the Creamery due to its production of milk, juices, and water. In order to meet quota and orders of the day, they must establish an a time lmit. If a machinery happends to brake down, they have other products lines they can use to continbue with production. The only predictor the manufacturing cannot control is the ablity to control the amount of milk coming from the dairy farms.

TPM (Total Productive Maintenance)

TPM is an abbreviation of Total Productive Maintenance. TPM is an approach improving the effective of production process and equipment. Maintenance is the most important part of business; TPM is significantly decreased maintenance costs and increased efficiency of the equipment, which increases employee's work efficiency. (Nakajima, 1989). This is one area I have seen Ralphs Distribution center fail in. The Manufacturing department has control of their maintaince due its minimal machinery required. But once it comes to automating the logistics side of the distributon centers it becomes a bigger isssue.

Maintaince personal have no structure or ceratin priorites in responsiblites. Maintaince chosses to handle issues as they appear fit. This is what I truly belive causes lag time in the production cost. When there is a order selector system down such as the WIN system used in Ralphs Distriubution centers, there seems to be only one or two individual albe to fix the problem. The responsiblites should be spread out amond different individual technitions invovled in the warehouse. Relying in one technitionis not productive maintaince.

3P (Production Preparation Process)

3P is an abbreviation of Production Preparation Process. 3P is referred to as design for product and production process