The Ford 2000 Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The hybridisation 2000 Plan - Essay ExampleFor the IT surgical incision, it meant sweeping changes. Standardizing software finishedout the global phone line would most certainly improve communication abilities. Everyone would be using the same tools and thus, speaking the same language, at least in computer terms. I could see that updating and maintenance of such a strategy from a centralized IT command would surely cut costs in the long run. Emphasis would be shifted from developing specialized software to using software largely developed by other companies that were truly in the software business. Ford would concentrate on developing vehicles, non software. I thought it was a smart plan.Yet, from news reports, now 6 years later, I knew The Plan had failed. Ford continued to stand money. Massive layoffs and plant closings were in store (Durbin 1). I did not know what went wrong. Then I determined 2002 interview with James Buczkowski, Director of IT for Manufacturing and Supp ly Chain at Ford (Ricciuti).Buczkowski makes it clear, as any department head would, that he would like to a greater extent money directed toward his operations. That being said, he accepts the fact that he is being asked to do more(prenominal) with less and operate with a back to basics mentality (Ricciuti Para. 1). That instrument cutting back on things like web site externalize and emphasizing modalities that help design and build better vehicles in a more cost-efficient manner. He plans to invest in more CAD and CAM. He is to concentrate on projects that will directly increase the companys bottom line, either through more efficient manufacturing or through decreased design/build costs.The director points out some other area of concern lack of IT skills within the company. With the advent of The Ford 2000 Plan, many IT functions were outsourced. This caused a decline in the IT skill-levels available from employees. Were trying to rebuild some of those skills where we were may be a little too leveraged on outside(a) (sources). We need much more skill and competency internally (Quest. 6). As any politically remedy corporate officer would, Buczkowski chooses to focus on the future, rather than publicly analyze shortcomings of the past. It is clear, however, that money was spent on technologies that did not add to the profitability of the company, like web site design, and that by outsourcing software design, in-house capabilities were woolly-headed. He sees desegregation of various software applications to be a continuing challenge. As more applications integrate, you have an environment that is more challenging to manage (Quest. 16). Buczkowski wants to see a modular approach so that applications may be blocked into the system and later unplugged, replaced as needed with newer, better application modules.In summary, I think The Ford 2000 Plan went wrong in the following ways. First, standardization and integration of off-the-shelf software was a bust. It did not provide the flexibility needed to design unique, quality products. It was an over-simplification of a complex need. Second, in its attempt to simplify, it lost the skills needed to change course when the simplification did not work.As this article relates to Systems Thinking and the examination of complexity, I see IT as a provider of tools. The best tools in the world are not goodly enough if they are so complex that no one knows how to use them or communicate the fruits of their fatigue to the rest of the company. If the