Lead‐time Models of Business Processes

In: International journal of operations & production management, Volume 14, Issue 5, p. 5-20

Abstract

In recent years, time‐based competition (TBC) has drawn the attention of
several practitioners and academicians. Much evidence has been put
forward from case studies in order to show the benefits that derive from
time compression. Nevertheless, there is a lack of conceptual models and
operating tools to support lead‐time reduction. Provides a conceptual
framework for modelling the lead time of business processes in order to
design effective re‐engineering. Two levels of lead‐time modelling have
been identified: an aggregate level, which accounts for the
relationships between lead times of different phases of a process, and a
detailed one, which allows the mechanisms of lead‐time making to be
clearly understood. Reviews existing time models and proposes two new
detailed models in order to cope with the growing need for process
re‐engineering. Presents these models in terms of time components and
composition laws. Suggests a process taxonomy to select the suitable
lead‐time models depending on the process characteristics at both the
aggregate and detailed level. Finally, shows how detailed models could
be used to link lead time to process performances on the one hand and to
managerial levers on the other. Thirteen time‐drivers, affecting the
lead time of a given process and its basic components, have been
identified.