Cummings Engineering

The MBA action learning course, which commenced early in 1987, was initiated after a period in which Cummins had created new organization structures around the total work-flow process. They had taken significant steps to focus on the important aspects of their business - cost, quality and delivery. New thinking on organizational development, coupled with changing competition and technologies, demanded more than ever, improved managerial effectiveness. Accordingly, four significant objectives were set for all course participants:

• Manage the totality of their newly defined business units effectively.
  
• Build more effective working relationships between different areas of specialist competence throughout Cummins.
  
• Provide better levels of service to customers in all market segments.
  
• Improve business performance in a rapidly evolving environment.
  

Two major projects were undertaken, one in each year of a two year programme. First, a 20,000 word analysis of the implications of introducing ‘total JIT’, followed by another project of similar length (year 2) examining total JIT and delivery issues with a detailed review of literature and experiences of other organizations resulting from site visits.

• Manage the totality of their newly defined business units effectively.
  
• Build more effective working relationships between different areas of specialist competence throughout Cummins.
  
• Provide better levels of service to customers in all market segments.
  
• Improve business performance in a rapidly evolving environment.
  

Two major projects were undertaken, one in each year of a two year programme. First, a 20,000 word analysis of the implications of introducing ‘total JIT’, followed by another project of similar length (year 2) examining total JIT and delivery issues with a detailed review of literature and experiences of other organizations resulting from site visits.