The Workflow Problem in DP World or the Dubai Ports World - Case Study Example

DP world Introduction DP World or the Dubai Ports World is a company engaged in container handling business. The merger of Dubai PortsAuthority and Dubai Ports International in the year 2005 formed DP World with its headquarters at Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The core business of DP World is container handling as it creates in excess of three-fourth of the revenue from its investments. The company is committed to the development of pipeline and oriented towards its expansion capacity (DP World, 2015).Work Flow problems thus relate to the processes, wherein it is essential to learn about the strengths as well as the weaknesses of the said problem. The company is required to put off the workflow problems because it may affect the company’s profits. DP World is oriented towards a customer centric approach, wherein workflow problem might hamper its business perspective (Bellini, 2009). Taking these perspectives into consideration, the essay intends to identify relevant tools to measure the workflow problem and evaluate about how the workflow problem can be mitigated. Relevant tools to measure the workflow problem Workflow is a set of tasks chronologically arranged into processes with certain set of people designated with the task of executing a planned process. DP World’s workflow is designed with the set of processes oriented for container handling and the work force or the resources required to accomplish a given set of objectives. Efficiency is one of the tools used to resolve workflow problem by improving efforts of the existing work force. By conducting ‘Qualitative and Quantitative analyses’, model workflow performance can be improved for increasing the output of DP World. Incomplete information or distorted communication, however, in the said process shall heavily affect the workflow within the organization that has to be resolved efficiently (Cain & Haque, n.d.). Workflow management system is thus classified into the following category based on the functions as integration central and human task centric workflow system. Also, workflow management system is categorized as a routing, distribution, coordination, agent and assistant system. The aim and sole purpose of the workflow ‘qualitative and quantitative management tool’ is to manage the execution of various processes and to achieve the objective of the company. DP World may manage its workflow by adopting any one of these techniques, which would aid the company output effectively (Sharp & McDermott, 2009). Impact of problem solving methods and decision making on workflow problems Generally, workflows are designed to model the flow of resources, papers and other pieces of information transferred from one process to another. Workflows can be divided into two main categories, which are process centric and data centric. In the data centric workflow model, impact is laid direct on the transformation of the datasets. The datasets are thereafter used as parameters those use the input data and breed out output data. For ‘decision making tools’, data centric model is deemed most effective. Correspondingly, in the process centric model or the ‘statistical process control’, processing and timing play the key role in managing workflow within the organization. DP World has to focus on process centric model, as it deals in processes more effectively than the data model that will aid in yielding better organization output (Roebuck, 2012). The term ‘workflow’ is synonymous to business process. Flow of information is another criterion for solving the workflow issues. The important one is decision support system or the ‘decision making tools’, while mathematical model is used for solving budgeting, investment planning and production planning. Logical reasoning system, also called as the expert system, can be used in all levels of the management decision-making process. Container handling herein requires logical decision making that will help DP World to manage the workflow that focuses on a customer-oriented approach (Aalst & Hee, 2004). Notably, the workflow process in general, currently being followed in DP World can be illustrated with a flow diagram as below. Figure 1: Work flow in DP World Identification of workflow problem Workflow management seeks for programmed support and in line business processes to decrease costs and flow time to increase quality with productivity. An extreme test for workflow management is their ability to react potentially to the changes taking place in the outside world. Arguably, the present day workflow management system is often considered unsuitable to match with the changes taking place in the business world. However, the real run time method is often much more inconsistent than the process specified at design-time. The only way to handle the problem is to move to the ground level to identify the issue and track the changes. To make present day workflow management systems more resilient, it is therefore necessary to immediate understand the kinds of changes needed to be supported (Aalst & Jablonski, 2000). The objective of workflow approach is therefore concentrated to institute a common structure for identifying the workflow potential that can apply to any known business process, despite of implementation limits. The level of support is hence depended on the workflow potential of the supported Business Process. This workflow potential is the effect of connection existing in the business process and is a given a set of criterion that can be separated as technical, economical and organizational. Contextually, it can be argued that the main purpose for identification of the workflow in DP World is to find out it’s potential in allocation of their resources among the workforce (Becker, Uthmann, zur Mühlen, & Rosemann, 1999). Identification of the improvement method Workflow function in a business process is referred to the level to achieve workflow potentials effectively through continual improvements. Identifying and understanding workflow problem is the primary function of every business process. There are various methods or tools of continual improvement that DP World can make use of, among which, the most suitable shall be the benchmarking technique. Even though it is a scientific approach, its systematic flow and less complex implementation procedure shall be effective for DP World to eradicate the quality management problems it current witnesses. Applying the benchmarking technique, DP World shall need to prepare an array of instructions relating to the process, as it relatively stands in its current position. Subsequently, the work force should be split to meet the company objectives. For this purpose, assemblage of the team force will be the prima facie task for the improvement of quality services delivered by the workforce, wherein documenting the problem will also be an essential task. In accordance, team must be so selected such that it is aware about all steps of the workflow engaged in the process. Rectification of the identified problem within due time will also be an effective and crucial step in the execution of work followed by the previous step. DP World should also emphasize its orientation to remove the defects and bring out fresh techniques free from erroneous problems involved in previous practices that would help it create a benchmark of quality performances (Talib, Rahman & Qureshi, 2011; Atlas & Hee, 2004). Besides, another improvement method that DP World can make use of is the Kaizen approach, which, at the initial stage, requires straightening up by retrenching non-essential quality management techniques followed by a systematic organization of the currently applied procedures. Such organization procedure must also involve standardization and disciplined orientation of the entire quality management process, which would help DP World eradicate unnecessary factors from its workflow procedure and hence, augment its degree of efficiency overall (Nakip & Kandemir, 2014). However, when applying both the procedures or either of those, DP World should be cautious to implement every stage of change management efficiently to increase workflow potentials. Evaluating the current workflow problem and its contribution As suggested above, DP World can use the benchmarking and the Kaizen approaches to control its quality standards and suffice its intended objective of augmented workflow potentials. Notably, the current problem witnessed by DP World is the high degree of disorganization and lack of cohesion within its workflow system that has resulted in a decline of its quality standards at a significant extent. It is in this context that in order to apply the attributes of both the recommended approaches, DP World should initially scrutinize and identify the loopholes in its workflow process and do away with the unnecessary complications that hinder smooth operations rather than augmenting productivity. It must also implement effective communication mechanisms to motivate employees to accept the change and thereafter, make complete utilization of its workforce. Setting up of transparency essentials will also be necessary in order to increase viability of the entire workflow system in DP World. Notably, it is only with these strategies applied that DP World can increase its workflow potentials and implement the quality management tools successfully. Conclusion DP World, who owns ports around the world, is facing workflow problems in its current operations. Arguably, workflow potential is the ultimate essence for the proper running of the business. It is in this context that its customer oriented approach is the foundation of progress for DP world, which must conduct business research for increasing the output by laying down effective workflow. Logistic approach can therefore be the best fit for its business operations than the data centric model, although both needs considerable emphasis on implementation, which might otherwise result in delivering distorted information to the targeted customers and affecting business functioning negatively. References Aalst, W. & Hee, K. V. (2004). Workflow management: Models, methods, and systems. Massachusetts: MIT Press. Aalst, W. & Jablonski, S. (2000). Dealing with workflow change: Identification of issues and solutions. International Journal of Computer Systems Science & Engineering, 15(5), 267-276. Becker, J., Uthmann, C. V., zur Mühlen, M., & Rosemann, M. (1999).Identifying the workflow potential of business processes. Retrieved from http://www.cebpi.org/downloads/papers/JOBE.CHUT.MIZU.MIRO-HICSS%281999%29.pdf Bellini, A. (2009). Five big workflow problem. Retrieved from http://www.ebizq.net/topics/bpm/features/11954.html Cain, C. & Haque, S., (n.d.). Organizational workflow and its impact on work quality. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK2638/ DP World. (2015). About DP World. Retrieved from http://web.dpworld.com/about-dp-world/ Nakip, M. & Kandemir, D. (2014). TQM excellence model to examine the role of strategic change and organizational. Journal Epistemologia, 11(02), pp. 64-68. Roebuck, K., (2012). Capacity management: High-impact strategies - What you need to know: Definitions, adoptions, impact, benefits, maturity, vendors. Brisbane: Emereo Publishing. Sharp, A. & McDermott. P., (2009). Workflow modeling: Tools for process improvement and applications development. London: Artech House. Talib, F., Rahman, Z. & Qureshi, M. N. (2011). Analysis of interaction among the barriers to total quality management implementation using interpretive structural modeling approach. Benchmarking: An International Journal, 18(4), pp. 563-587. Read More