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A dynamic model of work quality in a government oversight organization
Author(s) -
Trost Christopher S.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
system dynamics review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.491
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1099-1727
pISSN - 0883-7066
DOI - 10.1002/sdr.243
Subject(s) - workload , context (archaeology) , navy , workforce management , workforce , quality (philosophy) , work (physics) , government (linguistics) , operations management , task (project management) , supervisor , operations research , system dynamics , computer science , engineering , engineering management , management , economics , systems engineering , artificial intelligence , mechanical engineering , history , paleontology , philosophy , linguistics , archaeology , epistemology , biology , economic growth
Management of a government organization responsible for the oversight of contractor work is a sensitive and challenging task. One such organization is the Supervisor of Shipbuilding (SUPSHIP), Groton, a unit of the U.S. Navy, whose engineering department is responsible for oversight of submarine designs from General Dynamics' Electric Boat Division. Management of the SUPSHIP Engineering Department is further complicated by a high cost of mistakes and a significant lag between the time a mistake is made and when it is discovered in production. Recent defense cutbacks led to a reorganization of the department with significantly fewer personnel and periodic variations in workload have raised questions about the department's ability to maintain a desired level of quality in its design reviews. Quality in this context refers to work done without errors—errors that could affect the final product if they are not caught by supervisors or higher up the chain of command. To understand and explore these issues better, a system dynamics model that integrates the structural elements of the engineering department's workload and workforce was developed. Using the model to analyze expected performance during future peaks and valleys in the workload, as well as expected retirements and new hiring, allowed management to develop policies that keep quality at acceptable levels. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.