Project Management And Management Case Study: Boeing 767

Mid-Term Paper – Boeing Analysis
MGMT 658
Abstract
Unlike other manufacturing industries, aircraft manufacturing is considerably large and complicated. It is a field with high risk involvement. Losses incurred can be quite huge due to the size of the industry. Being the case, the aircraft manufacturing industry calls for intrinsic planning and comparatively larger pool of skilled and cooperative manpower for successful production. The Boeing 767 case study focusses on the manufacturing of Boeing 767, which contains 3.1 million pieces and 85 miles of wiring. The case study lays out the project management approach of Boeing in detail. Some of the factors critical to project success are project mission, top management support, schedule and plans,

For example, when Japan Aircraft Development Company (JADC) claimed that there could be problems while transporting body sections from Japan to Seattle, Boeing insisted to scale models of all sections and carry out a trial transportation. This trial showed that they needed to alter the plan as Japan’s roads were narrow and the parts were too big. Thus, an old steel factory closer to the shipping facilities was converted to an assembly hub of JADC. Boeing went through a major exercise to ensure that supply chain management will go as planned and that all problems be tackled before the actual execution. The learning curves along with evaluation of each activity in all angles ensured that the schedule is realistic and changes can be incorporated, as and when

The process starts with reviewing the current operations, past experiences and subsequently identifying what needs to be improved. Secondly, planning needs envisioning the results that the project wants to achieve, and the steps or activities required to arrive at success, i.e. fulfilling the mission of the project. Scheduling is a tool to plan and monitor the progress of the project. The case study, “The Boeing 767: From Concept to Production”, gives an overview of the planning efforts and how the team managed and controlled schedules using various techniques. Boeing identified the necessity of interface and teamwork required for planning and addressed those crucial factors using various tools (explained in the sections above). Some of these techniques are globally used in various industries. Boeing knew the mission and had a well-structured process to achieve that goal. As on date, Boeing has an allocated department which takes care of integrated planning and