S.R. Devadasan

Agility index measurement using multi-grade fuzzy approach integrated in a 20 criteria agile model

This paper reports a research carried out to assess the agility level of an organisation using a multi-grade fuzzy approach. Agility refers to the capability of an organisation to respond quickly in accordance with the dynamic demands of the customers. During this research, an agility index measurement model containing 20 criteria incorporated with the multi-grade fuzzy approach was designed. Subsequently, the data gathered from a manufacturing company was substituted in this model and the proposals for enhancing the agility level of this company were derived. The usage of the model contributed in this paper will indicate the actions required to enhance an organisations agility level. This process will accelerate the absorption of agility characteristics in modern organisations.

DESSAC: a decision support system for quantifying and analysing agility

This paper traces the origin and development of agile manufacturing. The industrial sectors which have embraced agility are todays winners in the competitive markets. This situation warrants the need of assessing the activities to be undertaken to acquire agility. For this purpose, this paper advocates the adoption of a 20 criteria agile model. In order to implement this model effectively, the agility level at which a company currently operates needs to be quantified. For this purpose, a quantification model incorporated with the 20 criteria agile model was adopted from literature and proposed after refinement. Applying this refined quantifying model in real time practice is a time consuming and tedious process. In order to overcome this difficulty, a decision support system named DESSAC (DEcision Support System for quantifying Agile Criteria) was developed. DESSAC was demonstrated to a group of competent personnel of an electronics switch manufacturing company situated in India. These personnel could operate DESSAC without any difficulty. Their feedback indicated its practical feasibility. In conclusion this paper points out the limitations of this research and the scope for pursuing further researches to overcome them.

Sensitisation of SMEs towards the implementation of Lean Six Sigma – an initialisation in a cylinder frames manufacturing Indian SME

This article suggests the adoption of a model on Lean Six Sigma for successfully implementing it in small and medium engineering enterprises (SMEs). This model is given the name Deficiency Overcoming Lean Anchorage Define Measure Analyse Improve Control Stabilise (DOLADMAICS). The DOLADMAICS model has been designed to lift up an SME through the implementation of Lean Six Sigma in five levels. The implementation study on first level of DOLADMAICS model conducted in an Indian SME, manufacturing a component called ‘cylinder frames’, has been reported in this article. After conducting this implementation study, it was found that the first level of DOLADMAICS model would act as a catalyst and guide for sensitising the management of SMEs to successfully implement Lean Six Sigma.

Current state maps on the implementation of lean and Six-Sigma paradigms and an exclusive model for deploying Lean Six-Sigma in SMEs

During the recent years, lean, Six-Sigma and Lean Six-Sigma paradigms have been widely applied in large size organisations to achieve global competitiveness. As the title implies, Lean Six-Sigma paradigm embraces lean and Six-Sigma concepts. As Lean Six-Sigma is tailor-made to suit large size organisations, there has been little effort on implementing this paradigm in small and medium enterprises (SMEs). SMEs are footprints of large size organisations. Hence the successful implementation of Lean Six-Sigma paradigm in SMEs will help large size organisations to achieve global competitiveness. In this context, a literature survey was conducted during the research reported in this paper. The findings of this survey have been used to map the current states of implementing lean, Six-Sigma and Lean Six-Sigma paradigms in SMEs. After completing this exercise, a Lean Six-Sigma model exclusively to suit SMEs has been proposed.

TADS-ABC: a system for costing total agile design system

This paper has contributed a system to cost a model called total agile design system (TADS). Using TADS helps an organisation to design its products, processes and services to achieve agility by responding to the customers’ dynamic demands. After the description of TADS, a costing system named as TADS-ABC has been introduced in this paper. As the name implies, this system has been designed to cost TADS using activity based costing (ABC) principles. After highlighting the theory, the practical application of TADS-ABC has been illustrated by substituting the relevant data derived from a TADS implementation study. This implementation study was conducted in an electronics switches manufacturing company. After processing using TADS-ABC, the specific costs to be incurred towards TADS activities, agile criteria and evolving products in an agile manner in the above company could be arrived at. The experiences of conducting this research have been used to evolve a roadmap for successfully implementing TADS-ABC in contemporary organisations.

Quantification of agility

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to design a tool for quantifying agility in organisations and test its practical compatibility.Design/methodology/approach – An agile quantification tool was designed initially by referring to a 20 criteria agile model. A scoring pattern with a maximum 1,000 marks was incorporated in the agile quantification tool which was then subjected to experimentation in an Indian electronics switches manufacturing company.Findings – A feedback session was conducted among the executives of the company to test the practical acceptability of the agile quantification tool. A statistical analysis of the study revealed that 90 per cent of their views were in favour of adopting it.Research limitations/implications – The marks allotted against the 20 agile criteria incorporated in the agile quantification tool are not supported with research findings. This leads to the questioning of the rationale behind allotting the marks against these criteria. In order to overcome this limitation, ...

DOLADMAICS: a model for implementing Lean Six Sigma in contemporary SMEs

In recent years, the world has been focusing on the development of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Meanwhile, the world has also been looking at the Lean Six Sigma concept as an enabler for companies to achieve prosperity. Hence, it is recommended that Lean Six Sigma be applied to SMEs. However, contemporary SMEs are suffering from certain deficiencies which make it unsuitable for them to implement the Lean Six Sigma concept immediately. This situation indicates the need for developing a model that can overcome the deficiencies existing in SMEs and enable implementation of the Lean Six Sigma concept for achieving prosperity. In order to fulfil this need, in this paper, a model named DOLADMAICS (for Deficiencies Overcoming-Lean Anchored-Define-Measure-Analyse-Improve-Control-Stabilise) is contributed. The DOLADMAICS model is designed to enable an SME to implement the Lean Six Sigma concept at five levels. The workings of DOLADMAICS model is explored by presenting a hypothetical case study.

A literature review on the integration of total productive maintenance elements with ISO 9001 standard

During the recent years, a few competitive strategies such as lean manufacturing and Six Sigma are integrated by the researchers and practitioners to reap the synergy. In this direction of progress, one conspicuous absence is an integrated model of total productive maintenance (TPM) and ISO 9001 certification. In this context, this paper reports a literature review which was carried out to establish the relationship between these two strategies. To explore the feasibility of this integration, this paper reports a literature review. During this literature review, the origin, tools, characteristics and benefits of TPM and ISO 9001 certification were studied. At the end of this review, the connectivity between these two competitive strategies is explained. After describing this literature review, this paper prescribes a roadmap for integrating TPM with ISO 9001:2008 standard.

Design agility through computer aided design

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report a research which is conducted to examine the power of computer aided design (CAD) in achieving agility in traditional organizations.Design/methodology/approach – The CAD model of the knob of an electronic switch was developed. This model was shown to the team of executives. The theoretical and practical knowledge provided by them were utilized to design new ten CAD models of the knob. The reactions of the executives about these new models were gathered and analyzed.Findings – The creation of a CAD model of an existing product is found to be a useful input for evolving new models in an agile manner. It is found to be an easy task to gather the theoretical and practical knowledge for achieving design agility through the visualisation of CAD models.Research limitations/implications – This paper is conducted on only one component manufactured by an electronic switches manufacturing organization. Although it appears to be a limitation of this paper, the nature o...

Total quality function deployment in a rubber processing company: a sample application study

Quality function deployment (QFD) is one of the techniques that have dominated the total quality management (TQM) field over the past four decades. Although several case studies have reported its benefits, recent researchers have prescribed improved versions of QFD. On the same lines, this paper proposes a new model called the total quality function deployment (TQFD) and brings to light how the lack of totality and simplicity in traditional QFD can be overcome by TQFD. The sample application study of TQFD done in an Indian rubber processing company has been presented in detail. In the conclusion the responses of practising professionals are described which favour the feasibility of practical implementation of TQFD.