ABSTRACT
The ‘pain’ involved a recognition that the new organization structure meant increased consultation, and decision making by consensus. Management in 1983 ran seminars for employees to explain the plan to move into volume manufacture and to introduce high performance concepts. Systematic training programmes covered induction, and ‘core task’ initial training, which was done mainly on the job, using available documentation, and including equipment maintenance skills wherever appropriate. The review of ‘visions’ which took place in July 1985 concluded that the main results of the high performance work groups had been in flexibility, reduced lead times, better product delivery, improved inventory management, and reduced total costs. Traditional attitudes were confronted at regular meetings where the ideas and goals of the group were reiterated and means found to get round management ideas which had evolved through years of working in traditional manufacturing environments.
