Simulating Print Production System Through System Dynamics Modeling Towards Productivity Improvement in Order Fulfillment

Simulating Print Production System through System Dynamics Modeling towards Productivity Improvement in Order Fulfillment

Ma. Crea Eurice D. Santos

Abstract:

The production system in logistic operations is an important function that significantly determines an organization’s performance in delivering customer requirements. This study investigates on the production system of a generic commercial printing company with the goal of understanding interrelationships of operation parameters towards influencing print productivity in relation to business logistic function of order fulfillment. Simulating the cause and effect relationship of print production work flow considering feedback mechanisms presents a comprehensive representation of the system’s complexity whereby interplay of associated variables and parameters are examined. Specifically, through developing alternative mental models, opportunities at both strategic and operational level can be exploited based on impact assessment of policies and decisions from simulation runs of different scenarios

Keywords: System Dynamics, Print Production, Order Fulfillment

1. Introduction

Worldwide manufacturing industries are in constant search for means of producing faster, cheaper, and better products or services(Uribe, 2008). In line with this, production takes a dominating and strategic logistic function in the process of order fulfillment (Helbing & Reichel, 1998). However, despite increasing technology in the printing industry added to widely available management tools, print productivity still has fallen further behind other manufacturing industries (Grant, 2003; Uribe, 2008; Zeng, Lin, Hoarau, & Dispoto, 2009). In response to this, a system dynamics approach, modeling print production system, is provided to better understand the interrelationships between operation parameters and to uncover feedback loops influencing overall organization productivity. Analysis of the cause and effect relationships of

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