Process Choice

The selection of the type of process to provide a product or service. Options range from a one-off project approach (e.g., custom­ made furniture by a craftsperson) through *batch production, to *continu­ ous processing that produces large vol­ umes over long periods,e.g., a cement kiln. The process decision usually com­mits an organization to significant capital expenditure. Each option involves a dif­ferent combination of workforce skills and job-design issues, planning and con­trol problems, inventory, and scheduling criteria. The option chosen must there­ fore fi_t with the method used by the organization to win orders. For example, a decision to compete in a large-volume low-cost market suggests the need for ·a mass-production line-flow process.