12/12/2019 DESIGN OF WORK SYSTEMS:Job Design Specialization Methods Analysis Production Operations Management Business Management

Production Operations Management

Search
Home
DESIGN
DESIGN OF
OF WORK
WORK SYSTEMS:Job
SYSTEMS:Job Design,
Design, Specialization,
Specialization, Methods
Methods Analysis
Analysis
L i b r ary

C o n t act Us

|
<< PROCESS SELECTION:Cellular Layouts, Facilities Layouts, Importance of Layout Decisions
Arts
LOCATION PLANNING AND ANALYSIS:MANAGING GLOBAL OPERATIONS, Regional Factors >>
B u s i ness

C e r t ifications Production and Operations Management MGT613 VU

C o m m erce Lesson 21
C o m p uter Science
DESIGN OF WORK SYSTEMS
E a r t h Sciences
Table of Contents:
E n g i neering
Objective
E n g l ish
1. INTRODUCTION TO PRODUCTION
F o r m al Sciences Design of Work Systems is an important component in Production and Operations Management. Design

H e a l th Sciences of Work Systems forms the basis and explains the importance of work design. Design of Work Systems 2. INTRODUCTION TO PRODUCTION
is used to describe the two basic approaches to job design, the first approach focuses on Efficiency
M a n a gement 3. INTRODUCTION TO PRODUCTION
through job specialization and the other focuses behavioral approaches to job design. Design of Work
M a r k eting System also entails method analysis which in turn centers on how jobs are performed. Motivation and 4. INTRODUCTION TO PRODUCTION
M a s s Comm Trust also form an important dimension in Design of Work systems as this alone provides an
5. INTRODUCTION TO PRODUCTION
opportunity to the Organization to develop effective teams who can achieve organizations short and
N a t u ral Sciences
long term objectives. Motivation and Trust observations also emphasizes working conditions that in turn 6. INTRODUCTION TO PRODUCTION
P o l i tical Science
lead to work measurements which leads to reward and compensation of the individual working for the
S o c i al Sciences organization. In short this topic of Design of Work Systems provides the perfect bridge between
7. INTRODUCTION TO PRODUCTION
| Production and Operations Management with Human Resource Management. 8. Roadmap to the Lecture:Fundamen
S i t e Map 9. Time Series Forecasts:Techniques f
Design of Work Systems Introduction
Links
10. The formula for the moving average
Work System Design consists of job design, work measurement and establishment of time standards
11. The formula for the moving average
and worker compensation.
12. The formula for the moving average
The interesting fact is that even in decisions in other areas of design can affect the work design
13. The formula for the moving average
system or even a change in the work design system can change the decisions in other areas. Like
Product or Service design will affect Design of Work Systems. Layout Decisions will also affect Design 14. The formula for the moving average
of Systems.
15. The formula for the moving average
It is thus logical to ensure that SYSTEMS approach is followed in a decision for DESIGN, so a 16. The formula for the moving average
decision in one part of the system is equally replicated and acceptable to all the system. E.g. Product or
Service Design would require proper people with standardized job description
17. The formula for the moving average
18. PROCESS SELECTION:Types of O
Job Design
19. PROCESS SELECTION:Basic Layo
Job design involves specifying the content and methods of job. In general the goal of the job design 20. PROCESS SELECTION:Cellular La
is to create a work system that is not only productive but also efficient.
21. DESIGN OF WORK SYSTEMS:Job
Job designers are concerned with:- 22. LOCATION PLANNING AND ANALY
23. MANAGEMENT OF QUALITY:Dime
What will be done
Who will do the job 24. SERVICE QUALITY:Moments of Tru
How the job will be done
Where the job will be done
25. TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT:D
Ergonomics 26. TQM QUALITY:Six Sigma Team, PR
A successful Job Design must have the following qualities
1. Carried out by experienced personnel who have the necessary training and background.
27. QUALITY CONTROL & QUALITY A
2. Consistent with the goals of the organization. 28. ACCEPTANCE SAMPLING:CHOOS
3. In documented form.
4. Understood and agreed by both management and employees.
29. AGGREGATE PLANNING:Demand
5. Shared with the new employees. 30. AGGREGATE PLANNING:Aggrega
6. Factors that affect Job Design
31. INVENTORY MANAGEMENT:Objec
� FACTORS
that affect Job design include
32. INVENTORY MANAGEMENT:ABC
1. Lack of knowledge of the employees. 33. INVENTORY MANAGEMENT:Econ
8834. INVENTORY MANAGEMENT:Indep

35. INVENTORY MANAGEMENT:Capa

36. JUST IN TIME PRODUCTION SYS
https://www.zeepedia.com/read.php?design_of_work_systems_job_design_specialization_methods_analysis_production_operations_management&b… 1/6
12/12/2019 DESIGN OF WORK SYSTEMS:Job Design Specialization Methods Analysis Production Operations Management Business Management

37. JUST IN TIME PRODUCTION SYS

Production and Operations Management MGT613 VU 38. JUST IN TIME PRODUCTION SYS
2. Lack of Management support.
3. Lack of documented job design which often leads to poor audit review and referral.
39. SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT:Lo
4. Job Design can be carried out in 2 ways the Efficient School and the Behavior School. 40. SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT:Su
5. Efficiency School was popular in 1950s based on Frederick W Taylor's Scientific Management
principles.
41. SCHEDULING:High-Volume System
6. Behavior school is relatively new concept and focused on ways to eliminate workers 42. SEQUENCING:Assumptions to Prio
dissatisfaction and incorporate the feeling of control in work.
43. PROJECT MANAGEMENT:Project
Design of Work Systems 44. PROJECT MANAGEMENT:Comput
45. Waiting Lines:Queuing Analysis, Sy
1. Specialization
2. Behavioral Approaches to Job Design
3. Teams
4. Methods Analysis
5. Motions Study
6. Working conditions

Specialization

� The term specialization refers to work that concentrates on some aspect of a product or service.
� Jobs that have a narrow scope.
� Assembly lines, medical specialties, MBA courses.
� Specialization jobs tend to yield high productivity, low unit costs and lead to high standard of living
in most of the industrial nations.
� Specialization in Business: Advantages
� Disadvantages

Behavioral Approaches to Job Design

In order to make jobs more interesting and meaningful job designers often consider Job Enlargement,
Job Rotation and Job Enrichment.
Job Enlargement relates to giving a worker a larger portion of the total task by horizontal loading
Job Rotation pertains to Workers periodically exchange jobs
Job Enrichment is increasing responsibility for planning and coordination tasks, by vertical loading

Motivation

The importance of these approaches to job design is that they have the potential to increase the
motivational power of jobs by increasing worker satisfaction through improvement in quality of work
life.

Motivation always influences quality and productivity. It contributes to work environment where as
Trust influences productivity and employee-management relations

Teams

Organization adopt teams in order to exploit the benefits of teams

Higher quality
Higher productivity
Greater worker satisfaction

Self-directed teams are groups of empowered to make certain changes in their work process

Methods Analysis

89

Production and Operations Management MGT613 VU

� Methods analysis deals with analyzing how a job gets done, begins with overall analysis and then
moves to specific details like changes in tools and equipment, Changes in product design or new
products, Changes in materials or procedures and Other factors (e.g. accidents, quality problems)

Methods Analysis Procedure is simple and effective and does the following
Identifies the operation to be studied
Gets employee input
Studies and documents the current method
Analyzes the job
Proposes new methods

https://www.zeepedia.com/read.php?design_of_work_systems_job_design_specialization_methods_analysis_production_operations_management&b… 2/6
12/12/2019 DESIGN OF WORK SYSTEMS:Job Design Specialization Methods Analysis Production Operations Management Business Management

Installs newtomethods
Follow-ups ensure improvements have been achieved

Selecting an Operations to study

� Sometimes a supervisor or a foreman may request an operations or part of the operations to be
studied. This would be with the intent to increase productivity and reduce costs. The guidelines for
studying a job would include
A high labor content.
Repeated frequently.
Unsafe, tiring, unpleasant, noisy and environmentally poor.
Quality problems, scheduling bottlenecks etc.

Analyzing the Job and proposing new methods

� Job Design Analyst should question the integrity and effectiveness of present and proposed
methods. He or she should use charts, graphs and verbal descriptions to capture how the job is being
performed. This can be the first basis and can lead to improvement in job design.

Flow process chart

Chart used to examine the overall sequence of an operation by focusing on movements of the
operator or flow of materials
Worker-machine chart
Chart used to determine portions of a work cycle during which an operator and equipment are busy
or idle

Experienced Job design analysts often develop a checklist and try to answer these questions
Why is there a delay or storage at this point?
How can travel distances be shortened
Can material handlings be reduced?
Would a rearrangement of the workplace result in greater efficiency.
Can similar activities be grouped?
Would the use of additional or improved equipment be helpful?
Does the worker have any suggestion or recommendation for improvement?

Installing the Improved Method

Successful implementation of the proposed method changes requires convincing management of the
desirability of the new method and obtaining the cooperation of the worker.
If the worker has been consulted than the task of installing the new method is easier otherwise it can
become the toughest part.
If there is a paradigm change (major change or new method) from the old method, the
implementation makes take a longer time.
Follow up is required to ensure that the changes have been incorporated..

90

Production and Operations Management MGT613 VU

Motion Study and Motion Study Techniques

Motion Study is the systematic study of the human motions used to perform an operation. The purpose
is to eliminate /weed-out unnecessary motions and identify the best sequence of operations for
maximum efficiency. Motion study forms an important part in productivity improvements. It is based on
Frank Gilbreths brick laying trade in the early 20th century, through the use of time motion study
techniques.

Motion Study Techniques often incorporate the following four types

1. Motion study principles - guidelines for designing motion-efficient work procedures
2. Analysis of therbligs - basic elemental motions into which a job can be broken down
3. Micro motion study - use of motion pictures and slow motion to study motions that otherwise
would be too rapid to analyze
4. Charts

Motion study principles Gilbreths work laid the foundation for motion study principles, which are
guidelines for designing motion efficient work procedures. The guidelines are divided into three
categories.
1. Principles of the use of body.
2. Principles for the arrangement of the work place.
3. Principles for the designs of tools and equipments.

Developing Work Methods

An operations manager along with an analyst aims for motion efficiency by achieving the following
1. Elimination of unnecessary motions

https://www.zeepedia.com/read.php?design_of_work_systems_job_design_specialization_methods_analysis_production_operations_management&b… 3/6
12/12/2019 DESIGN OF WORK SYSTEMS:Job Design Specialization Methods Analysis Production Operations Management Business Management

2. Reduction
3. Combination of various activities
in fatigue
4. Improvement in the arrangement of the workplace
5. Improvement in the design of tools and equipment

Therblig Techniques

Analysis of therbligs - basic elemental motions into which a job can be broken down
� Search implies hunting for an item with eyes or hands.
� Select means to choose from a group of objects.
� Grasp means to take hold of the object.
� Hold refers to retention of an object that has been grasped.
� Therblig Techniques
� Transport load means movement of an object after hold.
� Release load means to deposit the object.

� Some other common Therbligs are Inspect, Position, Plan, Rest and Delay.

� Also Frank and Lillian Gilbreth are responsible for micro motion study as well.
� Working Conditions
� Working Conditions (cont'd)

Work Measurement determines how long it should take to do a job. This may be focusing on an
individual's performance or completion of a mega scale project. When we discuss the design part of
work systems we often discuss the importance of standard time in work measurement. Standard time is
the amount of time it should take a qualified worker to complete a specified task, working at sustainable
rate, using given methods, tools and equipments, raw materials and work place arrangements. It also
employs the following common types of work measurement techniques
1. Stopwatch time study
2. Historical times

91

Production and Operations Management MGT613 VU

3. Predetermined data
4. Work Sampling

Stopwatch time study

� Stopwatch time study is used to develop a time standard based on observations of one worker taken
over number of cycles. That is then applied to work of others of the same organization who perform
the same work. The basic steps in stop watch time study include
1. Define the task to be studied and inform the workers who be studied.
2. Determine the number of cycles to observe.
3. Time the job and rate the workers performance
4. Compute the standard time

Also, the number of cycles that must be timed is a function of three things
1. The variability of observed times
2. The desired accuracy
3. The desired level of confidence interval for the estimated job time

Desired accuracy is expressed as percentage of the mean of the Observed Time.

N= (zs/a x -)2
Where
Z is the number of normal standard deviations needed for desired confidence
S is sample standard deviation
a is desired accuracy percentage
x- (x bar) is the sample mean

EXAMPLE

A Mechanical Engineer working for an automobile manufacture in Lahore presents the following
information to the Operations Manager. The assembly workers take a mean time of 120 minutes to
assemble a single car with a standard deviation of 5 minutes. The confidence limit if 95%. The
Operations Manager will need how many observations if the desired maximum error is + 5%
Solution
Given Data
S= 5 minutes,
Z is 1.96 ( since 95 CI)
x- = 120 minutes,
a= 5 %

https://www.zeepedia.com/read.php?design_of_work_systems_job_design_specialization_methods_analysis_production_operations_management&b… 4/6
12/12/2019 DESIGN OF WORK SYSTEMS:Job Design Specialization Methods Analysis Production Operations Management Business Management

The formula is

N= (zs/a x -)2

Substituting the values

N= ( (1.96)(5)/(0.05)(120))2
=(96.04)/(36)=2.67 studies = 3 studies

Development of a Time Standard

Development of a Time standard involves Observed Time (OT), Normal Time(NT) and Standard Time (
ST).
Mathematically Observed Time OT is represented by OT = Σ X/ n

92

Production and Operations Management MGT613 VU

Observed Time OT is just the average of the recorded times. Also Normal Time NT is the
observed time adjusted for worker performance.

Similarly Normal time NT=OT X PR

� Computed by multiplying observed time with Performance rating.

� Normal time is the length of time a worker should take to perform a job.

Another important concept is Standard time

Standard Time=ST=NT X AF is the normal time plus allowance for delays like ( getting a glass
of water or going to the washroom human needs)

Predetermined Time Standards

1. Predetermined Time Standards are published data that is based on extensive research to
determine standard elemental times.
2. A common system is the Methods Time Measurement ( MTM)
3. Analysts are trained and certified before they can be allowed to use MTM.

MTM Advantages

1. They are based on large number of workers under controlled conditions.

2. The analyst is not required to rate performance in developing the standard.
3. There is no disruption of the operation.
4. Standards can be established even before a job is done.

Compensation

An Operations Manger comes across two types of compensation, working for any service or
manufacturing based organization:-

1. Time-based system, which is the compensation based on time an employee has worked during a
pay period.
2. Output-based (incentive) system, which is compensation based on the amount of output an
employee produces during a pay period

Characteristics and Form of Incentive Plan

Operations Manager making use of an Incentive Plan must be able to understand and identify the
following characteristics and form of Incentive Plan.
1. Accurate
2. Easy to apply
3. Consistent
4. Easy to understand
5. Fair
6. Compensation
Types of Individual Incentive Plans
Pakistani organizations have employed various types of individual incentive plans which find judicious
applications in other countries of the world.
1. Group Incentive Plans
2. Knowledge-Based Pay System
3. Management Compensation
Of the three mentioned above, the operations manager should be able to identify the advantages and
disadvantages of each type of incentive plan.

https://www.zeepedia.com/read.php?design_of_work_systems_job_design_specialization_methods_analysis_production_operations_management&b… 5/6
12/12/2019 DESIGN OF WORK SYSTEMS:Job Design Specialization Methods Analysis Production Operations Management Business Management

93

Production and Operations Management MGT613 VU

Summary

The importance of work design has been often overlooked because the work of Operations Manager in
the past was not linked with the Human Resource Department of the same organization. Times have
changed and now Operations side work in tandem with Human Resource Department. Operations
Managers are trained to understand the two basic approaches to job design. This lecture provided us
with an opportunity that we discussed the advantages and disadvantages of specialization and
Behavioral approaches to Job Design.
Supplementary discussions focused on Method Analysis and Motion Study Techniques, which focused
on efficiency aspect of the job. This may ignore the behavior aspect but still form an important and
integral part of job design.

And last but not the least work measurements dealt specifically with the length of time needed to
complete a job and was linked with Personnel Planning, Cost Estimation, Budgeting, Scheduling and
Worker Compensation.

94

https://www.zeepedia.com/read.php?design_of_work_systems_job_design_specialization_methods_analysis_production_operations_management&b… 6/6