Bus 210 Week8

Choose three companies and observe how employees do their tasks. These can be three different fast-food restaurants or three entirely different types of companies, such as a fast-food restaurant, a department store, or the emergency room of a hospital.

2. Think about the differences in the operations involved in the input, operations, and output stages of these companies. Try to identify the nature of their operating systems. Are employees organized in different ways? If so, why? If possible, talk to the managers and employees in these operations to further your analysis.

3. What are the main kinds of OMM costs companies have? How does this affect their OMM operations?

4. How do companies design their operating systems to give them a competitive advantage?

The first company that I will discuss is PPG Industries. PPG Industries has several sub-divisions within the company and I will be discussing their Powder Coatings facility in Greensboro, NC. PPG’s Powder Coating facility currently makes powder coatings for John Deer, GE Washers & Dryers and many more! This facility currently has approximately 85 salaried employees including management & administration. The company operates on a 24/7 schedule which means the employees are divided between five different shifts which includes 3- 8 hour shifts (1st, 2nd & 3rd ) and 2 -12 hour weekend shift (7am to 7pm & 7pm to 7am Friday –Sunday). Even though the economy hasn’t been at its best, the company has still managing to keep the same number of employees over the last 6 years whether they are hired permantely or through