What are Process Management Systems?
My idea of process management systems, is that it is the way an organizations runs, through a set policy. Process management systems can be such methods as Just In Time (JIT) manufacturing methods, Frederick Taylor’s work on improving productivity, or Lillian Gilbreth’s studies to improve productivity through the study of time. (Mason, 2011)
In the video above, Ralph Mroz (2009) talks of the need for process management. He describes process management as “a series of steps by which something gets done”. He also talks about how process management is seen as a negative way to get things done in more creative areas such as marketing.
“In creative areas, like marketing, they say, well what we do cant be reduced to a process, it cant be reduced to a series of repetitive steps.”
To be honest I say their point of view, because by putting a cap on creativity, giving it a process will restrict levels of thinking and sometimes it is more important to embrace doing things differently by not always following the rules.
On the other hand, if creative companies want to be innovative, process management systems may well be the key to do just that.
Toyota is the business, when it comes to ultimate process management systems. They work to make their processes the most efficient and lean, based on JIT systems (Toyota Global, 2011). But they are also great in the sense that they are a company who has always welcomed and will always welcome innovation, as outlined by Bilton and Cummings (2010, p, 70) “Toyota is a great innovator because it is bisociative: paradoxically swarming for little increments and pursuing the big breakthroughs”.
Evolution of process management systems over time
- Technology push (1950s)
- Market pull
- Push-pull
- Parallel Processing
- E-Integration
- Network Innovation (2000s)
- Examples (e.g. music and online selling via e-integration)
Product life cycle
The product life cycle is a common tool used in business which shows how a product is introduced to the market and then goes through growth and maturity stages which ends in the diminishing of that product.
There are ways of innovating this product life cycle, for example by finding a new use for a product will take a product from its stage and start growing again, as shown in the diagram below, taken from Kaplan (2009).
Kaplan (2009) gives an example of the Typewriter being innovated into computer keyboards and programmes. Also shown below.
To sum up what this ‘S-Curve’ does. It is a relatively new technique that pushes companies to not just develop new products from old products, but to find new uses for old products, which is exactly what innovation is all about.
Reference List
Wendy H. Mason. 2011. Reference for Business – Process Management. [Online] Available from: http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/management/Or-Pr/Process-Management.html
Accessed on 30/12/2011
Ralph Mroz. 2009. Customer Manufacturing Group – The Necessity of Process Management. [Online] Available from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=un3riF1uPvw
Accessed on 30/12/2011
Image available from:
http://www.startrescue.co.uk/blog/toyota-recall-again-but-are-they-alone
Toyota Global. 2011. Toyota Production System. [Online] Available from:
http://www.toyota-global.com/company/vision_philosophy/toyota_production_system/
Accessed on 30/12/2011
Chris Bilton and Stephen Cummings. 2010. Creative Strategy: Reconnecting Business and Innovation. John Wiley & Sons Ltd. West Sussex
Soren Kaplan. 2009. Innovation Point – Innovation Lifecycles [Online] Available from: http://www.innovation-point.com/Innovation_Lifecycles.pdf
Accessed on 30/12/2011
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