Custom Mold Case Study

Waqas Sher Zaman, Assignment: Brief 2, MBA 731-01(F14), Prof. Roger Kisiel, September 26, 2014

To: Prof. Roger Kisiel From: Waqas Sher Zaman Date: September 26, 2014 Subject: Custom Mold Inc. Introduction: Custom Molds, Inc. was founded by father-and-son-team father-and-son-team of Tom and Mason Miller in 1987 in Tucson, Arizona. The company business activities involve the manufacturing manufacturing of custom design molds for plastic parts and production of custom made plastic connector connector for electronic industry. The company main focus in the beginning was t o provide high quality custom design molds but after making making strong brand reputation reputation in the designing designing and fabrication fabrication of precision precision molds the company decided to expand its business activities to manufacturing of plastic parts. However However in the early 2009 Custom Mold Inc., faced a lot of problems which included changing strategies within the clients business lead to change in order needs in an unexpected way, decline in demand for multiple nods, longer delivery time then the promised times, increase increase in defective products and bottlenecks bottlenecks in production process. process. Analysis: The major issues which are being faced by Tom and Mason miller are which included changing strategies within the clients business lead to change in order needs in an unexpected way, decline in demand for multiple nods, increase in demand of plastic products, longer delivery time then the promised times, increase increase in defective products and bottlenecks bottlenecks in production process. Due to the change in the strategies that lead to decrease decrease in the demand of multiple nods, electronic manufacturers manufacturers which were trying to make strategic partnerships with their supplier t o ensure the timely delivery of high quality at lower cost which allowed the additional fund to be used for other purposes that could provide more return return on investments. investments. Increase in plastic products demand became became an issue issue for Custom Molds Inc., because it has basically focusing more on the production of custom molds and because of extra orders and work load they may have to change the layout of the production plant to meet the increasing demands. demands. Furthermore, Custom Mold Inc., faced a lot of complains about longer delivery times for the supply of products and defective products due the bottlenecks in the production process and until now the company has not been able to identify the causes of these bottlenecks.

In this ever changing business environment, the competitive priorities of any organization production and manufacturing process process should be high quality products, lesser and effective effective lead time for delivery of products, low production and manufacturing cost and flexibility in production and manufacturing manufacturing process. (Hayes (Hayes and Wheelwright, Wheelwright, 1984). As the competitive priorities priorities for Custom Mold Mold Inc., was also the quality, lead time, low manufacturing cost and flexibility which was previously achieved by manufacturing their own but due to change in trend that made manufacturers to develop strategic relationships with the supplier to ensure the timely delivery of high quality at lower cost which allowed the additional fund to be used for other purposes that could provide more return on investments. Therefore, Therefore, Custom Mold Inc. should adapt to this new trend to maintain its competitive priorities. Conclusion: The Millers should change the entire production process and come out with a new plan that is more effective and efficient and will wipe out their current problems for the production of Molds and Parts. They can also consider closing down the Molds production and can focus more on the production of plastic parts to t o ensure production efficiency, competitiveness competitiveness and more profits. Expansion of their business can also be done by the construction of new factory with new machines and equipment's to achieve maximum production efficiency and less lead times. Furthermore, strong relationships with customers and supplier are to me made. While evaluating these alternatives, the key factors which they should consider are the cost, quality, efficiency, reliability and percentage of success.


References Hayes, R., & Wheelright, S. (1984). Restoring Our Competitive Edge: Competing Through Manufacturing (1st ed.). Newyork: John Wiley and Sons . Teece, D. J., Pisano, G. and Shuen, A. (1997), Dynamic capabilities and strategic management, Strategic Management Journal , Vol. 18, No. 7, pp. 509-533.


APPENDIX-A Flowchart of Custom Mold's operations

Mold Fabrication Process Receive Order

Design Specifications

Purchasing

Receive Order

Yes

Acceptable?

Cleaning/ Polishing

No

Packing/ Shipping

Scheduling

Parts Manufacturing Process

Design Review

Questions?

Mold Fabrication

Inspection/ Testing on Injection Machine

Purchasing

No

Dry Mix

Wet Mix

Holding Tank

Injection Machines

Yes

Contact Customer

Cut & Trim

Need Assembly? Yes

Assembly

No


APPENDIX-B 5-Step Critical Thinking Decision-Making Process Matrix Step 1: Identify the problem(s) and uncertainties. What exactly is the problem…

The major issues which are being faced by Tom and Mason miller are which included changing strategies within the clients business lead to change in order needs in an unexpected way, decline in demand for multiple nods, increase in demand of plastic products, longer delivery time then the promised times, increase in defective products and bottlenecks in production process.

The problem is this … The major issues which are being faced by Tom and Mason miller are which included changing strategies within the clients business lead to change in order needs in an unexpected way, decline in demand for multiple nods, increase in demand of plastic products, longer delivery ti me then the promised times, increase in defective products and bottlenecks in production process.

This is an important problem because… This is an important problem because it has effected the Custom Molds Inc. in the following way 1. Reduction of orders 2. Reduction of profits 3. Reduction in the quality of the products 4. Increase lead time 5. Increasing customer complaints 6. Loss of competitive priority compared with other competitors

The key question(s) that needs to be answered to solve this problem is… What can be done to overcome the following problems 1. Reduction of orders 2. Reduction of profits 3. Reduction in the quality of the products 4. Increase lead time 5. Increasing customer complaints 6. Loss of competitive priority compared with other competitors

Step 2: Obtain information. The following information is needed to answer this question… 1. What reason has lead to increase in reduction 2. Why the profits have reduced


3. 4. 5. 6.

Why the quality of the products have reduced Why the lead time has increased What are the reasons for increasing customer complaints What are the reasons for the loss of competitive priorities

Some important assumptions I am using in my thinking are… Due to the change in the strategies that lead to decrease in the demand of multiple nods, electronic manufacturers which were trying to make strategic partnerships with their supplier to ensure the timely delivery of high quality at lower cost which allowed the additional fund to be used for other purposes that could provide more return on investments.

The points of view relevant to this problem belong to… 1. Shareholders 2. Employees 3. Customers 4. Suppliers

Note: Remember to view the information you have obtained for potential bias. This is from the perspective of your own bias to the research a nd the bias of the authors who compiled the data and the research you gathered. In other words, do not discount the importance of other’s data because of your own bias(is).

Step 3: Make predictions about the future. If this problem gets solved, some important implications are… 1. Increase in production efficiency 2. Increase in orders 3. Increase in profits 4. Increase in the quality of the products 5. Decrease in lead time 6. Less customer complaints 7. Gaining competitive priority

If this problem does not get solved, some important implications are… 1. Reduction of orders 2. Reduction of profits 3. Reduction in the quality of the products 4. Increase lead time 5. Increasing customer complaints 6. Loss of competitive priority compared with other competitors

The potential alternative solutions to solve the problem are…


The Millers should change the entire production process and come out with a new plan that is more effective and efficient and will wipe out t heir current problems for the production of Molds and Parts. They can also consider closing down the Molds production and can focus more on the production of plastic parts to ensure production efficiency, competitiveness and more profits. Expansion of their business can also be done by the construction of new factory with new machines and equipments to achieve maximum production efficiency and less lead times. Furthermore, strong relationships with customers and supplier are to me made. While evaluating these alternatives, the key factor which they should consider are the cost, quality, efficiency, reliability and percentage of success.

Note: if the problem is one-dimensional, there may be just one correct solution.

Step 4: Make decisions by choosing among alternatives. What is the best solution and why… The Millers should change the entire production process and come out with a new plan that is more effective and efficient and will wipe out t heir current problems for the production of Molds and Parts.

Step 5: Implement the decision, evaluate performance, and learn. In business, the fifth step in the decision making process is implementation. In the MBA program, most times you will end with Step 4 since you will not have the opportunity to implement. You may be asked to develop an implementation plan and recommend how you will evaluate performance in some assignments.


APPENDIX-C Brief 2 Rubric Total 65 points

Criteria

Develops an opening paragraph that introduces the case.

Unacceptable

Vaguely develops an opening paragraph that introduces the case or does not have an opening paragraph.

Acceptable

Proficient

Develops an opening paragraph that introduces the case and, for the most part, fulfills assignment requirements.

Develops an opening paragraph that introduces the case and demonstrates solid ability to accomplish the assignment.

(4 points) Analyzes the major issues facing the company and, for the most part, fulfills assignment requirements.

(5 points) Analyzes the major issues facing the company and demonstrates solid ability to accomplish the assignment.

(0-3 points) Analyzes the major issues facing the company.

Vaguely analyzes the major issues facing the company or completely off the topic.

(8 points) Analyzes the competitive priorities for Custom Mold’s processes and the changing nature of the industry.

(0-7 points) Vaguely analyzes the competitive priorities for Custom Mold’s processes and the changing nature of the industry or completely off the topic.

Analyzes the competitive priorities for Custom Mold’s processes and the changing nature of the industry and, for the most part, fulfills assignment requirements.

(0-7 points)

(9-10 points) Analyzes the competitive priorities for Custom Mold’s processes and the changing nature of the industry and demonstrates solid ability to accomplish the assignment.

(8 points) (9-10 points)

Student Score and Comments


Recommends alternative approaches that could be pursued and the factors that should be considered when evaluating the alternatives.

Vaguely recommends alternative approaches that could be pursued and the factors that should be considered when evaluating the alternatives or completely off the topic.

Recommends alternative approaches that could be pursued and the factors that should be considered when evaluating the alternatives and, for the most part, fulfills assignment requirements.

Recommends alternative approaches that could be pursued and the factors that should be considered when evaluating the alternatives and demonstrates solid ability to accomplish the assignment.

(0-7 points) (8 points) Creates a flowchart that represents the operations of Custom Mold.

Integrates established operation management principles into the discussion.

Vaguely creates a flowchart that represents the operations of Custom Mold or completely off the topic.

Creates a flowchart that represents the operations of Custom Mold and, for the most part, fulfills assignment requirements.

(0-3 points)

(4 points)

Rarely integrates established operation management principles into the discussion.

For the most part, does a good job of integrating established operation management principles into the discussion.

(0-3 points) Synthesizes relevant information and materials to provide evidence of critical thought.

Synthesizes information at a minimal level.

(9-10 points) Creates a flowchart that represents the operations of Custom Mold and demonstrates solid ability to accomplish the assignment. (5 points) Consistently does a good job of integrating established operation management principles into the discussion. (5 points)

(4 points) For the most part, effectively synthesizes information, which supports main ideas.

(0-3 points)

Consistently and effectively synthesizes information, which provides strong support to main ideas. (5 points)

(4 points)


Develops ideas with clarity and logic.

Uses supporting documentation that has been properly references and cited.

Demonstrates little clarity and logic. Readers have difficulty following the line of reasoning.

Develops ideas with clarity and logic. Readers can generally follow the line of reasoning.

(0-3 points)

(4 points)

Inadequate or minimal use of supporting documentation or not properly referenced or cited.

Develops ideas with clarity and logic. Ideas flow smoothly from one to another and are clearly linked to each other.

For the most part, uses supporting documentation that is properly referenced and cited.

(5 points) Consistently uses supporting documentation that is properly referenced and cited.

(4 points) Considered holistically, the student demonstrates an acceptable ability to write at the graduate level.

(5 points) Considered holistically, the student demonstrates a proficient ability to write at the graduate level.

(0-3 points) Considered holistically, demonstrates the ability to write at the graduate level.

Considered holistically, the student demonstrates an inadequate ability to write at the graduate level. (0-3 points)

(5 points) (4 points) SubTotal Points

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Minus 10 points Total Points =

Custom Mold Case Study

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