The Objective of Maintenance and Reliability - Essay Example

Improved performance reflects high efficiency. In turn, high efficiency is the main reason behind reduced organizational expenses. This is because efficient equipment reduces the wastage of both power and raw materials in the case of a manufacturing plant.

1. Identify the five core characteristics of good job design

First, skill variety, which can be described as the extent to which a job requires various activities that use different skills as well as talents.

Second, task identity or the extent to which a job involves the completion of an identifiable and a whole piece of work. This can also be said to be doing a job from the beginning to the end with a visible outcome.

Third, task significance or the extent to which the subject job has an impact on the work or lives of other people.

Fourth is autonomy, which can be described as the level to which the job provides freedom regarding scheduling and procedures.

Fifth, feedback or the extent to which work activities lead to obtaining clear information regarding the effectiveness of the performance.

The characteristics of a good job design reinforce the value of job enrichment. This is because the model produces essential psychological states such as meaningfulness and responsibility. The model generates a positive effect, which results in positive outcomes that include motivation, job effectiveness, and job satisfaction. The job design at my workplace measures perfectly with the good job design since the workplace has similar outcomes as those realized through a good job design.

2. The three basic principles of lean systems

The basic principles of lean systems are value, flow, and pull. These principles function in collaboration with each other to achieve lean system goals in various ways. First, value is focused on the customer meeting the customer’s needs at a specified time and price. Mostly, value is quantified through affordability and quality. Second, flow is efficiency oriented. This is because it is determined to eliminate waste by making use of the value principle. When the value is specified and the value stream mapped and specified for a specific product family, wasteful processes are eliminated. Third, pull looks at the customer’s requirements. It maintains that a product or service should only be produced if there is demand for it. Therefore, these principles work together through the production of the good when needed, making the product available at the customer’s convenience, and through the elimination of waste.

3. S. economy turning into a service economy

The major reason behind this has been failed trade policies. This has seen a reduction in manufacturing jobs by a huge percentage. Although the production of goods in other countries could seem cheaper, the economy is suffering (Ensinger, 2010). The U.S. can regain its manufacturing advantage by establishing policies that would favor the manufacturing sector. This would ensure that the nation has provided enough high-paying employment opportunities for its citizens. This would also eliminate the stiff competition from China and Mexico.