Assigning the flawed windshield wiper problem

Assignment Help Operation Management

Reference no: EM132233154

It was a mystery-a mystery with millions of dollars and hundreds of jobs riding on the anser. a hugh 6.5 percent of the windshield wiper systems being manufactured at tan ITT automotive plant in upstate New York for DaimlerChrysler's minivans were defective. Nobody could figure out why the defect existed. All the parts met specifications; they were assembled correctly, and engineers found no fault with the design. Yet, in a test run many wipers failed to make a complete sweep across the windshield-a potential disaster for Chrysler and for the 3800 automotive workers in the upstate plant. Plant management assembled a six-person team including engineers, uion members, and manufacturing expertsto become a detective force to find the answers. The team felt a lot of presssure to resolved the problem because the livelihood of the plant was threatened. If its major product was defeative, the plant might be shuttered.

THE CORSS-FUNCTIONAL TEAM TACKLES THE PROBLEM

Responsibility for solving the problem fell to the Chrysler cross-functional team:leader of the plants Chryser teamCraig Hysong, manufactuing general supervisor Rob Price, quality tech Rick Fisher, quality analyst jeannine marciano, engineer Mike Kinsky and Ron Maor an engineer from a sister plant in Canada. The teams goal was to make sure the product was launched flawlessly. The Chrysler team picked the best and worst of the wipers call Bob and Wow for the best of the best and worst of the worst. They thought that by comparing the best with the worst, they might somehow isolate and fix the problem. The team felt the pressure to perform because unless they solved the mystery, Chrysler would have to find a new supplier for windshield wiper systems. Fianlly, Fisher the technician and Maor, the engineer from the plant that supplies themotors found the answer. It was in the serration on the motors drive shaft that was meant to hold the crank in place.

1. Which approach to (or method of) group problem solving did the plant team use?

2. To What extent did management make the right move in assigning the flawed windshield wiper problem to a team instead of to one engineer or technician?

3. If by chance you happen to have the right expertise, what would you guess was the problem with the windshield wiper system?

Reference no: EM132233154

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