DECA Set 2 - Business Processes, Supply Chain, Innovation, Management & Quality

What is a business process?

A series of related, repeatable activities that produce a specific outcome for customers or the business, such as order fulfillment.

What is business process thinking?

Viewing a business as a set of interconnected processes and focusing on improving how work flows in order to meet customer needs.

What impact does business process thinking have on a business?

Greater efficiency, lower costs, fewer errors, better quality, faster delivery, and higher customer satisfaction.

What is business process design?

Planning how work will flow, including the steps, roles, and resources, so that a good or service is produced efficiently.

Name two external factors that influence process design.

Customer expectations, laws and regulations, competition, and available technology.

Name two internal factors that influence process design.

Available resources and budget, employee skills, organizational goals, and production capacity.

How does technology influence process design?

It can automate tasks, reduce errors, and speed up workflows, so available technology often determines how a process is structured.

Name common causes of business process change.

Technological advances, changing customer demands, competition, new regulations, cost pressures, and quality problems.

Give an example of a technology-driven process change.

Replacing paper order forms with an online ordering system.

How does process improvement differ from process reengineering?

Improvement makes incremental changes to an existing process, while reengineering radically redesigns the process from the ground up.

Define supply chain.

The network of organizations, people, activities, information, and resources involved in moving a product from raw materials to the final consumer.

How does an efficient supply chain improve business performance?

It lowers costs, shortens delivery times, reduces stockouts and excess inventory, and improves customer satisfaction and profitability.

What can result from a supply chain disruption?

Delays, shortages, higher costs, lost sales, and damage to the business's reputation.

Define supply chain management.

The coordination and oversight of all activities from sourcing through delivery in order to optimize cost, speed, and quality.

Name the key components of supply chain management.

Planning, sourcing, making (production), delivering (logistics), and returns.

(PSMDR)

What is logistics?

The part of supply chain management that plans, implements, and controls the efficient flow and storage of goods, services, and information.

Define innovation.

The introduction of new ideas, methods, products, or services that create value.

How are learning, innovation, and change related?

Learning produces knowledge and ideas, innovation applies them, and innovation requires change. Change in turn creates new learning, forming a continuous cycle.

What is a learning organization?

An organization that continuously acquires and shares knowledge and adapts its behavior accordingly.

Define management.

The process of planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling resources to achieve organizational goals.

Name internal factors that influence management.

Organizational culture, size, structure, employee skills, available resources, and business goals.

Name external factors that influence management.

The economy, technology, competition, laws and regulations, and social and cultural trends.

Define change management.

A structured approach for moving individuals, teams, and organizations from a current state to a desired future state.

Why do employees resist change?

Fear of the unknown, concern about job security, loss of control, poor communication, and comfort with the status quo.

Name strategies for reducing resistance to change.

Communicate clearly and early, involve employees in planning, provide training and support, and explain the benefits.

What are the three stages of Lewin's change model?

Unfreeze, change, and refreeze.

Define quality management.

The ongoing process of ensuring that products and services consistently meet or exceed customer expectations and established standards.

How does quality control differ from quality assurance?

Quality control inspects and tests output to detect defects, while quality assurance prevents defects by improving processes.

What is Total Quality Management (TQM)?

A management approach in which all employees continuously work to improve quality, with a focus on customer satisfaction.

What is Six Sigma?

A data-driven methodology for reducing defects and variation in processes.