Benefits of Skill Chaining in Serial Production Lines with Cross-Trained Workers

To gain insight into the potential logistical benefits of worker cross-training and agile workforce policies, we study simple models of serial production systems with flexible servers operating under a constant work-in-process (CONWIP) release policy. Two important and interrelated issues are: (a) h...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inManagement science Vol. 50; no. 1; pp. 83 - 98
Main Authors Hopp, Wallace J, Tekin, Eylem, Van Oyen, Mark P
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Linthicum INFORMS 01.01.2004
Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences
SeriesManagement Science
Subjects
agile production
Agility
Assembly lines
Business studies
CONWIP
cross-training
Economic coordination mechanisms
Efficiency
Efficiency loss
Employee development
Employee efficiency
Flexibility
Heuristics
Labour force
Labour policy
Management
Management science
Manufacturing
Optimal policy
Production
Skills
Studies
Theory of constraints
Training
Work in process
Workers
Workforce
Workforce planning
Workloads
Online AccessGet full text

Cover

More Information
Summary:To gain insight into the potential logistical benefits of worker cross-training and agile workforce policies, we study simple models of serial production systems with flexible servers operating under a constant work-in-process (CONWIP) release policy. Two important and interrelated issues are: (a) how to decide which skill(s) are strategically most desirable for workers to gain, and (b) how to coordinate these workers to respond dynamically to congestion. We address these by considering two cross-training strategies: a straightforward capacity-balancing approach, which we call cherry picking (CP), and an innovative overlapping zone strategy that we call skill chaining . Our comparison shows that skill-chaining strategies have the potential to be robust and efficient methods for implementing workforce agility in serial production lines.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-2
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-1
content type line 23
ISSN:0025-1909
1526-5501
DOI:10.1287/mnsc.1030.0166