Process Planning and Technology Development - Nobody Shapes Nature the Way that We Do Background: Often a firm finds that the initial assumptions of it processes for produces goods and services are no longer valid. The world tends to be a dynamic place and customer desires, product technology, and product mix change. Consequently, processes are redesigned or, as it is sometimes called, reengineered. Process reengineering is the fundamental rethinking and radical redesign of a process to bring about dramatic improvements in performance. Effective process reengineering relies on reevaluating the purpose of the process and questioning both purpose and underlying assumptions. Reengineering works only if the basic process and its objectives are reexamined. Questions for Thought: 1. When is it time for a process to undergo reengineering? 2. Is reengineering a new concept or has it been around for a long time and just called by a different name? 3. Is it possible for a firm to be "in denial" when it comes to process reengineering? Can you think of any examples? Does this occur in the private sector? The public sector? 4. Kelsey Grammer plays Major General Partridge in the video clip from Pentagon Wars and explains how projects under his command have deviated from the established processes set down by the Military. Why would companies deviate from an established process? At what time does the basic process actually become the exception? Can you think of any examples from the real world? Private industry? The Military? Government?