In lean manufacturing environments, cross-training is often used to achieve multi-skilling in order to increase flexibility in meeting fluctuating demand, to create a shared sense of responsibility, and to balance workload between cross-trained workers. This paper presents a model that assigns workers to tasks within a lean manufacturing cell while minimizing net present cost. In determining how to assign workers to tasks, the model addresses production requirements to meet customer demand, skill depth requirements for tasks, varying quality levels based on skill depth, and job rotation to retain skills for a cross-trained workforce. The model generates an assignment of workers to tasks and determines the training necessary for workers to meet skill requirements for tasks and customer demand. While the model can be used in a number of ways, in this paper it is used to generate a worker assignment schedule for cross-trained workers in a dedicated lean manufacturing cell in an electronics assembly plant and to evaluate the effect of increased cross-training on the cell. The resulting worker assignment schedules for the current state and several alternative scenarios for the cell are evaluated using cost results from the optimization model and from a simulation model to assess additional performance metrics. These results demonstrate the usefulness of the worker assignment model and indicate that moderate increases from current cross-training levels are not beneficial for this cell.

In this research, I study the unintended consequences of implementing information technology. Understanding the causes of these unintended effects is important because information technology is ubiquitous in the modern economy. I used three research protocols to study this phenomenon. The first approach was a literature review to explore and understand what was already written on the subject of implementing information technology. The second approach was an experiment using the beer distribution game to study the implementation of information technology. The third approach I used was a case study in which I used system dynamics modeling to study the information technology in an engineering and architecture firm. I tested the implementation of information technology in the beer distribution game by modifying the play with a change that simulated implementing information technology. I compared the performance of test subjects with control groups that played the game at the same time, without the modification. I also compared the subjects’ performance against the performance of trials first published in 1989. I hypothesized that implementing information technology would result in an immediate improvement of the teams’ performance. The results of implementing information technology in the beer distribution game were not as expected; implementing information technology did not improve performance. When it became clear that my experimental hypotheses were incorrect, I went back to the literature to see if there was an explanation for this failure that could be derived from the literature on the beer game. I studied the information technology in the case study firm in order to extend the learning from the experimental research. The results of the experiment were not as I expected; I learned a great deal about the effect of information technology in a very iii controlled experimental setting. By expanding the research to include a case study I was able to explore the behavior in a more realistic environment. The beer distribution game provided me with an unexpected insight into the alignment of users mental models and the structure of the organization. The case study was completed using system dynamics tools to model, and then simulate, the effect of misalignment in a real world organization. Considering the results of the beer distribution game and the case study, I suggest that one explanation for the unintended consequences of implementing information technology is the misalignment of users’ mental models with the altered structure of the organization after information technology is implemented.

This paper addresses the problem of using accuracy index values based on the squared difference between participant scores and true scores, the D2 index, at the practical level. It clarifies ambiguity existing in the literature regarding the use of these index values to evaluate the scoring accuracy of human raters (evaluators). The paper critically investigates the effect of frame‐of‐reference (FOR) training on improving the accuracy of third‐party evaluators’ scores for organisations, such as those going through the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA) self‐assessment exercise. It discusses a case study where 90 individual participants took part. The scores of these participants were recorded before training was given to them (no training) and after receiving FOR training. The study showed that providing FOR training has an effect on improving the elevation accuracy index (p < 0.05) in five of the seven categories used in this exercise. An observed leniency effect was also reduced. However, no improvement in the DA was observed. Thus, the evaluators’ ability to assign an accurate overall score was improved, while the ability to discriminate between relative strengths and weaknesses did not show improvement. This implies evaluator training, particularly for heterogeneous pools of volunteers like those of corporate and state and local quality awards, should include more content on the performance dimensions.

Organizational self-assessments are an important tool for organizations attempting to improve performance. Little is known about the measurement properties of assessment processes, particularly the consistency of the evaluator scoring that provides the validation for self-assessments. Similarly, little is known about the magnitude of inconsistencies that must exist. A critical step toward improving the self-assessment process is understanding its properties and designing strategies for improvement based on this understanding.This article reports on research conducted to determine the level of consistency of third-party evaluator scoring of written organizational self-assessments using the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award as the assessment standard. Using practicing professionals, an experiment was conducted that measured consistency at several levels: among untrained evaluators; among trained evaluators; between trained and untrained evaluators; and between the various items and categories constituting the Baldrige Award criteria.The results indicate that consistency for the more quantitative categories was better than for qualitative categories. Frame of reference (FOR) training had an effect on evaluator consistency (for example, reduced leniency) and seemed to have greater effect on the categories with more quantitative content. No evidence was seen that FOR training reduced score variance among evaluators.

The personnel scheduling problem is addressed through a multiple-criteria decision system. A four-stage process is proposed which utilizes analytic models and computer simulation to develop an aggregate shift schedule. The scheduler plays a key role in generating the personnel schedule. A queueing model converts customer (task) arrival rates into personnel requirements for each scheduling period. A goal programming model utilizes these personnel requirements to generate a shift schedule, allowing the decision maker a choice in establishing scheduling priorities. Priorities can be established for workforce levels in particular periods (from two distinct points of reference), full-time workforce levels, and part-time workforce levels. By varying priority relationships, different shift schedules result. A computer simulation model is included to evaluate the schedule generated by the goal program. The results of the simulation provide the decision maker with schedule performance information. Based upon this information, the scheduler can accept the schedule, revise the schedule, or revise certain model parameters and cycle back through the solution process. The flexibility of the scheduling model is illustrated through example priority formulations and a sample scheduling problem.

To compete in today's global economy, organizations are under pressure to improve their product development processes. The engineering design process is an important component of the overall product development process. This research considers the relationship of both social and technical variables to the engineering design process. The theoretical foundation of this research is sociotechnical systems theory. This theory states that optimum performance is achieved by jointly considering the technical and the social subsystems. The application domain of the theory is called macroergonomics. A technical variable considered by this research was engineering design process methodology. Two methodologies were considered: sequential engineering and concurrent engineering. Another technical construct considered by this research was the use of computer- supported cooperative work technology (CSCW) or groupware. The social variable considered by this research was group size. Two sizes were considered: large groups of six people and small groups of three people. This research sought to determine the optimum combination of technical and social variables that would result in highest performance.