個案總覽

This case asks students to consider questions about where and how to implement Statistical Process Control (SPC) within the fictional Topco Pharmaservices company. Topco's documentation process for outsourcing clinical drug manufacture was experiencing high rates of errors. By constructing and interpreting a p-chart for SPC, students can begin to address Topco's challenges.

This case uses the example of a Hospital's Emergency Department to introduce Little's formula of I = RT, a fundamental law in operations management. Through a series of questions, the case guides students through issues of capacity, marginal profits, costs, and inventory. The case also asks students to consider hypothetical scenarios and make decisions backed by their calculations.

Kirk Myers, REI's manager of corporate social responsibility (CSR), has been tasked with finding a way to optimize the organization's rental program while minimizing its environmental impacts. After looking at the data, he found that at times the rental program had major queuing problems - equipment was either not available or wait times were too long. He will have to take into consideration customer experience/service, inventory, revenue, waste, and usage implications when crafting his recommendations. Students are asked to apply the news vendor model and VUT equation to find the best solution.