In the final blog for this class we were tasked with discussing case analysis as an educational tool and also relevance to real world situations. I
found the use of case studies in this course to be an effective tool that
was extremely helpful, particularly given my admittedly limited knowledge of
the subject (though I certainly know more now than when I started). Refining the focus of study
on the issue being reviewed allows for a more detailed perspective. UAS study is a very broad and continually evolving area so being able to
narrow research to specific instances and delve into the details of those instances
was helpful in achieving meaningful results in the necessarily restricted time
frame of an academic calendar. Being an on-line class with limited student interaction,
the process allowed for sharing and considering different perspectives both
subjective and objective. The end result
is a better product.
Case
studies, though prevalent in psychology and other medical disciplines (McLeod, 2008) have applicability in a wide
variety of business settings. From a past
business perspective I used a case study method to determine the economic and
operational viability of a proposed commercial delivery route. I was interested in expanding our area of
service on our Western Washington based organic delivery fleet into Eastern
Washington and Western Idaho, vice using contracted delivery services that had
been the norm after the closure of our Eastern Washington distribution
facility. Eastern and Western Washington are separated by several mountain passes
which routinely are closed or limited during the winter season and, given the
distances involved, DOT hours of service rules (FMCSA, n.d.) typically make
same day service out of Western Washington not feasible. The case study
approach, researching both previous in-house efforts as well as those of
competitors, allowed for an informed decision making process at my level and aided
in presentation to upper management that subsequently resulted in approval of a
trial period. Upper management, based
largely on anecdotal information, had previously been very hesitant about
implementing the change. The routes did
hold true to the research conclusions and remained in effect with updates and
modifications as needed based on business conditions throughout my tenure at
the company.
Case studies are not always feasible
or the best approach. In another
situation I was tasked with completely revamping hours of operation to
coincide with the activation of a new rail carrier agreement which when
implemented would result in extensive service failures under then current
operating hours. The rail agreement was (figuratively)
written in stone without field input and very little reaction time was
permitted. A sink or swim scenario. A case study approach was not suitable as
there was no history of similar operations anywhere in the corporation and competitor
information was not relevant due to different service parameters that were
considered unacceptable. In this case, a
hazard and operability (HAZOP) type of review (Goetsch, 2011) was
conducted. Though HAZOP is directed
towards safety, from an operations perspective the fundamental process was similar and applicable and aided in determining specific hours, tasking, and staffing
necessary to meet performance goals.
References
Federal Motor
Carrier Safety Administration.
(n.d.). Hours of Service. Retrieved from
http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/hours-of-service
Goetsch,
D. L. (2011). Occupational
Safety and Health for Technologists, Engineers,
and Managers (7th ed.). Saddle River, New Jersey:
Prentice Hall.
McLeod,
S. A. (2008). Case Study Method. Retrieved from
http://www.simplypsychology.org/case-study.html
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