Selection of critical processes for “process improvement”

AshokSarkar1, ArupRanjan Mukhopadhyay2, Sadhan KumarGhosh3
1SQC and OR Division, Indian Statistical Institute, Mumbai, India
2SQC and OR Division, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata, India
3Department of Mechanical Engineering, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India

Tóm tắt

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop a criterion for selection of critical sub‐processes when all the sub‐processes cannot be taken up simultaneously for improvement. There exist various methods but the practitioners get utterly confused because of the existence of these multiple options. In this paper, the goal is to assist practitioners in the selection of the critical sub‐processes.Design/methodology/approachThe authors discuss various statistical methods such as correlation and regression, simulation, basic statistics such as average, standard deviation, coefficient of variation % (C.V.%), etc. for the selection and identification of the critical sub‐processes. The strengths and weaknesses of these methods have been compared through empirical analysis based on real‐life case examples.FindingsThe stepwise regression and simulation have been found to yield identical results. However, from the perspective of application, stepwise regression has been found to be a preferred option.Originality/valueThe roadmap thus evolved for the selection of the critical sub‐processes will be of great value to the practitioner, as it will help them understand the ground reality in an unambiguous manner, resulting in a superior strategy for process improvement.

Từ khóa


Tài liệu tham khảo

Antony, J., Escamilla, J.L. and Caine, P. (2003), “Lean sigma”, Manufacturing Engineer, Vol. 82 No. 2, pp. 40‐2.

Banks, J. (2000), “Introduction to simulation”, Proceedings of the 2000 Winter Simulation Conference in Orlando, FL, USA, Society for Computer Simulation International, San Diego, CA, pp. 9‐16.

Bendell, T. (2005), “Structuring business process improvement methodologies”, Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, Vol. 16 No. 8, pp. 969‐78.

Draper, N.R. and Smith, H. (1981), Applied Regression Analysis, Wiley, New York, NY.

Iman, R.L. and Conover, W.J. (1982), “A distribution‐free approach to inducing rank correlation among input variables”, Communications in Statistics – Simulation and Computation, Vol. 11 No. 3, pp. 311‐34.

Lovelle, J (2001), “Mapping the value stream”, IIE Solutions, Vol. 33 No. 2, pp. 26‐33, available at: www.neumann.hec.ca/sites/cours/6‐510‐96/../Mappingthevaluestream.doc (accessed 13 June 2010).

Montgomery, D.C. and Peck, E.A. (1982), Introduction to Linear Regression Analysis, Wiley, New York, NY.

Rother, M. and Shook, J. (2003), Learning to See: Value‐stream Mapping to Create Value and Eliminate MUDA, The Lean Enterprise Institute, Cambridge, MA.

Saltelli, A, Ratto, M. and Andres, T. (2008), Global Sensitivity Analysis: The Primer, Wiley, New York, NY.

Sarkar, D. (2007), Lean for Service Organizations and Offices: A Holistic Approach, ASQ Quality Press, Milwaukee, WI.

Snee, R. (2010), “Lean Six Sigma – getting better all the time”, International Journal of Lean Six Sigma, Vol. 1 No. 1, pp. 9‐29.

Stephens, M.A. (1974), “EDF statistics for goodness of fit and some comparisons”, Journal of the American Statistical Association, Vol. 69, pp. 730‐7.

Tapping, D., Luyster, T. and Shuker, T. (2002), Value Stream Management: Eight Steps to Planning, Mapping, and Sustaining Lean Improvements, Productivity Press, New York, NY.

Zayed, H. and Quade, D. (1997), “On the resistance of rank correlation”, Journal of Statistical Computation and Simulation, Vol. 58 No. 1, pp. 59‐81.