Contrast of Process Design

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer discusses that to improve consumer relationships and gain an advantage over its competitors, a company may address any or all of the following areas: process design, distribution channels, branding, advertising strategies, or simply change the product that is offered. The writer looks at hospitals in comparison to McDonald's and notes that because both companies provide such different services, it might be assumed that hospitals and McDonald's would adopt very different strategies in all of the above areas when dealing with organizational waste. After all, McDonald's sells artery-clogging burgers while hospitals are responsible for the well-being of their patients. Furthermore, the writer points out that McDonald's is a commercial venture, offering a service that consumers expect to be consumed quickly and easily, while patients expect more personalized attention from organizations such as hospitals. However, when reforming problematic and costly lags in providing care for their core consumers, both McDonald's and hospitals have come to a similar discovery. The writer maintains that both have found that placing consumers in the driver's seats, and making individual needs, rather than predetermined standard operating procedures the most important aspect of the organization's method of service, can be the most effective way to implement change.

From the Paper:

"Thus, McDonald's learned from its competition, and created a made-to-order system, whereby sandwich ingredients were assembled, but sandwiches were not prepared until an order was actually submitted by a customer. This allowed for more product variation and prevented declines in quality during the day, and it also allowed for more flexibility in different markets. The food did not rest for long periods of time, and because consumer customization was expected, the time to service an individual customer actually decreased, rather than increased. Thus McDonald's shifted to a 'pull' system, originally perfected by Burger King, the architects of the slogan that the chain would do it 'your way,' as opposed to the more generic, family-focused advertising of McDonald. Of course, McDonald's was quiet about its adoption of its rival's processing innovation. McDonald's might argue that in terms of its philosophy, essentially, McDonald's was putting its customers first and viewing them individual customers rather than as projected statistics plotted on a demand curve."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Clouten, K., & Weber, R. (Feb 1994). "Patient-focused care ... playing to win." FindArticles. Retrieved September 1, 2006, from http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3619/is_199402/ai_n8720635
• Myers, Susan M. (Jul-Aug 1998). "Patient-focused care: what managers shouldknow." Nursing Economics. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FSW/is_n4_v16/ai_n18607892/pg_1
• McGinn, D. (1 May 2001). "McDonald's Case Study: Burger Time." Jungle Magazine. Retrieved September 1, 2006, from http://www.jungleonline.com/magazine.cfm?INC=inc_article.cfm&artid=1503&template=1&date=May2001&refid=g3

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