ALPI new opening in Prato - Alpi World
ALPI new opening in Prato - Alpi World
ALPI new opening in Prato - Alpi World
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<strong>in</strong> the context of<br />
to effect changes <strong>in</strong> the<br />
process components ( a c t i v i t i e s ,<br />
i n p u t s , r e s o u r c e s , <strong>in</strong>formation<br />
etc.) <strong>in</strong> a timely manner usually <strong>in</strong><br />
response to changes <strong>in</strong> bus<strong>in</strong>ess<br />
environment and stakeholders’ n e e d s .<br />
T h e t e r m bus<strong>in</strong>ess process flexibility<br />
is used generally<br />
both with respect<br />
to products and<br />
processes as<br />
well. However for<br />
academic <strong>in</strong>terest,<br />
they can be seen<br />
from different<br />
p e r s p e c t i v e s .<br />
Product flexibility<br />
is the ability of the organization<br />
to produce multiple products with<br />
m<strong>in</strong>imum wastage and the term<br />
generally is used with respect to<br />
manufactur<strong>in</strong>g process. Bus<strong>in</strong>ess<br />
process flexibility enables an<br />
organization to be more <strong>in</strong>novative<br />
and responsive to customers.<br />
Product flexibility results basically<br />
from the availability of production<br />
equipment and its layout, which<br />
enables multiple and customised<br />
products on the same production<br />
l<strong>in</strong>es with m<strong>in</strong>imum overheads due<br />
to changeovers. Bus<strong>in</strong>ess process<br />
flexibility results from ability to<br />
<strong>in</strong>corporate changes <strong>in</strong> policies and<br />
procedures quickly and proactively <strong>in</strong><br />
response to or <strong>in</strong> anticipation of<br />
changes <strong>in</strong> external environment.<br />
def<strong>in</strong>ed as ability of an organization<br />
ITY<br />
An important po<strong>in</strong>t to note is that<br />
process flexibility entails trade-off<br />
<strong>in</strong> the operational efficiency of an<br />
organization – typically between cost<br />
and customisation. Even <strong>in</strong> a simple<br />
manufactur<strong>in</strong>g process, through which<br />
an organization plans to produce<br />
customised products, the tradeoff<br />
<strong>in</strong>volved is overheads <strong>in</strong>curred <strong>in</strong><br />
shift<strong>in</strong>g between assembly l<strong>in</strong>es or<br />
other equipment. Similar effect can be<br />
seen for bus<strong>in</strong>ess processes deliver<strong>in</strong>g<br />
highly customised services, which may<br />
<strong>in</strong>cur expenses <strong>in</strong> employ<strong>in</strong>g people<br />
with diversified expertise.<br />
More importantly flexibility of bus<strong>in</strong>ess<br />
processes <strong>in</strong> any organization is a<br />
function of its organizational structure.<br />
Organizational structure, though an<br />
<strong>in</strong>gredient of process environment<br />
<strong>in</strong> any process centric organization,<br />
represents the component which<br />
has huge <strong>in</strong>ertia to change. For<br />
bus<strong>in</strong>ess processes to be flexible,<br />
the accompany<strong>in</strong>g organizational<br />
structure needs to be more <strong>in</strong>formal <strong>in</strong><br />
nature. Such <strong>in</strong>formal relationships are<br />
characterised by leadership, knowledge<br />
and trust rather than control, rules and<br />
supervision.<br />
Informal structure enables seamless<br />
changes <strong>in</strong> the process, roles and<br />
responsibilities to cater to the bus<strong>in</strong>ess<br />
and customer needs, and thus achiev<strong>in</strong>g<br />
high levels of responsiveness towards<br />
customers.<br />
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