Boeing Operations Management Report

This report examines Boeing's manufacturing operations and how information systems are integrated into its processes. It explores the role of middle-level management in overseeing operations, utilizing data for analysis and strategic decision-making. The report emphasizes the importance of efficient information systems for Boeing's success across diverse fields.

Information Systems in
Organisations

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INTRODUCTION
The growth of technology has bought in a lot of developments in functioning of
businesses (Venkatesh, Brown and Bala 2015). This report helps in understanding the
information systems and their applications in basic manufacturing processes and the use of
various levels of management data with respect to Boeing organisation and its different
production lines.
2) a) Manufacturing processes of Boeing organisation
1. Assembling a product
Boeing has business functions spread out in different sections like Space and Security,
Military Aircraft, network and space systems, etc. The company has to develop a proper
information system for assembling the product because any sort of negligence in this process can
lead to serious consequences in the future (Stair, and Reynolds, 2015). For instance, aircraft
manufacturing includes production of raw materials and adjoining of different components.
Landing gears, wing or body fairing, landing gear doors, engines, engine nacelles, passenger
entry doors, etc. are the basic elements of the entire aircraft structure. The basic information
requirement which is realised in this system is accuracy and precision in the dimensions.
The entire set-up is strategically designed in such a way that entire assembling is
systematically done. The actual product would depict a lot of variations if components are not
developed in this sequential manner. The organisation uses lean manufacturing for engaging
innovation and reducing the mistakes or errors that are probable to occur in the entire process.
Various kinds of products which are designed by the company include a lot of risks which
threaten the individuals utilising these products (Stair and Reynolds, 2013). For example,
aircraft, spaceships, etc. The information system is equally aligned with the manufacturing
process so that safety and quality of product is not deteriorated or compromised. The use of
digital communication systems and in-bound computerised networks helps in managing the basic
assembling operation.
2. Checking for quality
Quality is an aspect which has to be maintained by the company for getting customer
satisfaction and developing brand loyalty. There are different parameters on which quality is
judged or compared. Boeing company has to perform information audit for meeting the criteria
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of qualities in every respect. Reliability, usability, accessibility, integrity and metrics are the
basic components which are considered for maintaining the quality of a product. Be it aircraft or
the space security, individual lives are at stake (Olson, 2014). There cannot be any sort of
compromise in the quality or dimension of the product during checking processes. Aircraft is
used in various operations and the ones which are designed for military purpose cannot be
compromised in terms of information or quality or costs.
The information system or needs which have been utilised for linking the manufacturing
process and the quality checking parameters include setting up of standards or policies,
channelised system for recognising errors, implementation system for tracking improvements.
The materials which need to be implied for the manufacturing should be of standard quality.
Information related to expiry or deterioration of the material is also considered as significant for
the quality aspects (Laudon and Laudon, 2013). The entire product is a waste if standard
requirements are not met.
3. Producing bills of materials
Bills are evidences which are gained by the customer after making a purchase. There are
different types of information that has to be depicted in the bill. Boeing has to maintain the
records regarding purchase and expenditure in terms of bills so that in situations of legal
complications, the company will hold a physical evidence regarding the same. The growth of
information technology has helped in developing a system that eases production of bills of
different materials without creating much confusion or fuss.
This part of the manufacturing process uses information regarding the basic
configurations of the material. For example, density of the item, quantity, assemblies and sub-
assemblies involved, design specifications, engineering aspects, etc. The weight, molecular
density, etc. are some of the technical informations that are included in bills which are
formulated for materials like aircraft or security systems (Fichman, Dos Santos, and Zhiqiang
Zheng, 2014). Digitalisation helps in reducing the pains which are involved in management in
terms of paper production and development of files. Unlike traditional techniques, the current
technological aid is provided in terms of automated software that helps in managing bill of
materials without implying much efforts. Purchasing contracts, manufacturer information,
supplier information, etc. are an integral part of the Bill of materials. The part number, name,
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phase, stages of the life-cycle, description regarding the element to be billed, unit of measure,
reference designators and certain company specific notes are involved in the bill of materials as
an integral part.
b) Consideration of primary transaction data as operations level management
Operations level management includes the administration and planning of day to day
operations which are to be performed by the company for meeting specific aims and objectives.
Since, Boeing is focusing on lean manufacturing as the prime process of manufacturing and
production in the aircraft; there is a clear organisation of all ground level operations which will
contribute this final outcome (Cassidy, 2016). Elementary transactions include material flow,
cash deposits, generation of receipts, delivery of notes, maintaining the sales and tracking the
data and enabling order flow. This operation is just not limited to a time bound shift or working
hour limited operation. Instead, the complete production is active for 24 hours. Employees are
provided different work timings according to which they have to perform their specific job.
The life or time duration of this level of task is short and the operations are handled with
less complexity. Although decisions involved in these systems are well structured and according
to the rules and regulations of the organisation. Boeing has primary transaction data acquired
from operations management in the form of order tracking, queries related with the order,
transactional processes, judgements and discretion, cash deposits, receipts, material acquisition
and billing (Baskerville and Wood-Harper, 2016.). Furthermore, the data acquired from
information systems initialised in this aspect has to be valid and reliable so that other dependent
processes of the organisation are not affected.
c) Middle management data
Middle management level forms an important component of organisational
administration. They have the duty of looking after the ground level staff and reporting to the
strategic management level authorities i.e. senior personnels. Boeing aircraft production line has
engagement of different factories which are set up at different locations and the production line
is aligned with assembly line so that entire product can be managed effectively (Stair and
Reynolds, 2015) Middle level management has to make semi-structured decisions. These types
of decisions fluctuate from a designed work flow to undecided judgements. The management has
to follow a set of instructions but with some sort of flexibility.
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During the manufacturing and production processes involved in the entire production line
of Boeing, the employees are given some sort of instructions (Stair and Reynolds 2013)
Downsizing, delayering and outsourcing are some of the functions which comprise of the middle
management systems. The flow of information is regularised through computer networks and
communities which are established according to the functional departments. For example,
aircraft assembling is the function which involves compiling all the components which are
developed in distant factories. The landing gear production factory officials will report to the
assembling operations head regarding information about the quantities and qualities of
component which need to be produced. The basic functions of this level of management include
administration of human resources, strategic functions and technical responsibilities which are
involved with organisation (Olson, 2014).
The role of information systems can be realised in every aspect of business processing.
There is an emergence of digital enterprises because of the sudden shift of operations from
traditional techniques to advanced operations management. From production to assembling and
distribution, every task is well managed by the middle level management (Laudon and Laudon,
2013). These individuals use information systems to monitor and supervise the activities and
operations which have been designed for operational staff or the ground staff.
The individuals working at this position have to look after the tasks and projects that have
a time limit of roughly 1 to 3 years. They have to outlook the responsibility of allocation of
resources and monitoring of operations (Venkatesh, Brown and Bala 2015). Furthermore, they
have to utilise the information systems in a strategic fashion that transaction data acquired from
operations management is used to analyse the situation and take control over the operations.
CONCLUSION
This report helps in understanding the basic operations and processes which have been
devised for executing the manufacturing operations of Boeing. Since, the organisation has been
functioning in different field lines, the need of an efficient information system is always realised.
Hence, strategies are developed in such a way that strategic issues are easily resolved without
hindering the operational process.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Baskerville, R.L. and Wood-Harper, A.T., 2016. A critical perspective on action research as a
method for information systems research. In Enacting Research Methods in Information
Systems: Volume 2 (pp. 169-190). Springer International Publishing.
Cassidy, A., 2016. A practical guide to information systems strategic planning. CRC press.
Fichman, R.G., Dos Santos, B.L. and Zhiqiang (Eric) Zheng, 2014. Digital innovation as a
fundamental and powerful concept in the information Systems curriculum. Mis Quarterly.
38(2). pp.329-343.
Laudon, K.C. and Laudon, J.P., 2013. Management Information Systems 13e.
Olson, D., 2014. Information systems project management. Business Expert Press.
Stair, R. and Reynolds, G., 2013. Principles of information systems. Cengage Learning.
Stair, R. and Reynolds, G., 2015. Fundamentals of information systems. Cengage Learning.
Venkatesh, V., Brown, S.A. and Bala, H., 2013. Bridging the qualitative-quantitative divide:
Guidelines for conducting mixed methods research in information systems. MIS quarterly.
37(1). pp.21-54.
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