Innovations of Industrial Workers

Abhijit RoyCINE

21.02.2009

Shop Floor – Source of physical labor or Continuous innovation? Innovation only in R&D lab? Shop floor - one of the major source of

innovation Exploring shop floor innovations and

integrating them with company’s long term strategy

lead to long term sustained competitive advantage

Source of innovative ideas

http://www.killerinnovations.com/blog/reblog/2006/06/

Share of innovative ideas among employees

http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/ViewContentServlet?contentType=Article&Filename=Published/EmeraldFullTextArticle/Articles/0680070104.html

Obstacles to corporate innovation efforts

http://www.killerinnovations.com/blog/reblog/2006/06/

Barriers to tap shop floor innovation

Lack of sharing Generation gap – New age workers vs. old

age workers Rigid hierarchy Language barrier

Lack of corporate culture Dependency on latest technology Dependency on external consultants? Lack of investment

Importance of promoting Shop floor innovation Cost saving Proper utilization of limited resources Developing a harmonious corporate culture

and promoting team spirit Drives culture of innovation Improving productivity and process quality Develop a sense of ownership among

workers – more invovlement

Some corporate initiatives to explore shop floor innovation Philips Electronics Company

New form of organizational structure to promote innovations from shop-floor workers

Mini-company concept at Roermond factory in The Netherlands

Product made in the factory - Ceramic multilayer actuators, an important device for inkjet printers

Rapid increase in demand for the product Dynamic nature of market - Short time-to-market, high

flexibility and tough competition Close co-operation with the customer on product

development

Source: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/ViewContentServlet?Filename=Published/EmeraldFullTextArticle/Articles/0440100709.html

Philips – Contribution of Mini-Companies to Improvements/Innovations

Source: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/ViewContentServlet?Filename=Published/EmeraldFullTextArticle/Articles/0140310305.html

Corporate initiatives to explore shop floor innovation Tata Steel

Knowledge Manthan to promote innovations “Aspire knowledge Manthan” launched in

March, 2004 to capture tacit knowledge present in the shop floor and promoting sharing of the same with others

Mainly for non-IT literate workers Workers will know best practices avilable in

the organization itself

Source: http://www.allbusiness.com/management/1081362-1.html

Corporate initiatives to explore shop floor innovation I/N Tek, JV of Inland Steel and Nippon Steel

in Indiana Transformation of cold rolling steel process

into a continuous process Lot of time saved – from 12 working days to

10 minutes from start to finish Unleashed collective intelligence of shop floor

workers

Source: http://creativeclass.com/rfcgdb/articles/When_lacocca_balked.pdf

Corporate initiatives to explore shop floor innovation Honda

Automotive assembly complex at Ohio Value shop floor workers knowledge due to

their hands-on knowledge Managers need to compulsorily listen to

workers points and implement them

Source: http://creativeclass.com/rfcgdb/articles/When_lacocca_balked.pdf

Corporate initiatives to explore shop floor innovation – Indian Experiences Indian Oil

Workers involvement widened after implementation of Kaizen in refineries

One Point Lesson (OPL) scheme was promoted to tap workers subsist innovation

Proper recognition – good monetary incentive, best staff award etc

BHEL Standing meeting to encourage sharing innovations of

shop-floor workers Encouraged sharing of ideas among shop floor

workers

Corporate initiatives to explore shop floor innovation TATA Group

Tata Group Innovation Forum to promote innovation – to explore different ideas and to explore lessons

Suggestion schemes NTPC

Frequent workshops Suggestion schemes

Recommendations to promote innovation Proper utilization of suggestion scheme

system Close interaction between executives and

workers Recognition More exposure to latest technologies and

systems Investment on human capital particularly shop

floor workers is need of the hour

Contd…

Recommendations to promote innovation Meeting presided by shop floor worker at shop floor

itself Showing respect Giving recognition for his work Encouraging sharing of information

Presentations by shop floor workers at the workshops to the management executives Sharing knowledge inputs Honing skills of presentation

Informal meeting between executives and workers