Engineering Faculty Internship: Evaluation of a Continuous Improvement Model in a Shared Responsibility Environment

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9412648 Currie The objective of this project is to evaluate the continuous improvement models at the Saturn Corporation in Spring Hill, Tennessee. Under the project, the process in which information is gathered, analyzed, and conclusion reached under the continuous improvement model will be evaluated according to standard engineering design practices. The effectiveness of teams of workers to generate alternatives and make consensus based decisions will be evaluated by observations and involvement by the project team. Interview with team members from both union and management will be conducted concerning the adequacy of training received and recommended changes to improve the effectiveness of the system. Additional tasks to be performed under this project include the evaluation of the transfer of recommendations to work units for implementation, documentation and evaluation of the effectiveness of communication and group dynamic process, evaluation and documentation and incentives and motivation of team members and their work unit members to accept recommended improvements, and corporate policies encouraging increased productivity. The potentials for this project include the strengthening of the understanding of continuous improvement by the students and faculty involved in the project. Valuable insights will be gained into engineering practices and management philosophy under continuous improvement programs. Similarly, the outcome of the project will help Saturn Corporation and other similar manufacturing organizations on how to refine continuous improvement models and consequently, develop strategies to maximize the benefits from such program.