Question

Using operation and process management principles, explain why would an accident on the highway right in the middle of traffic rush hour result in more traffic jams than during non-rush hour times?

Answer 1

Operations Management is basically a systematic approach to resolve all the issues regarding the transformation process that converts inputs into output & fetch revenue. The operation management helps us to save the cost and reduce wastes and get more profit. Now in this case of an accident in the middle of a traffic rush causes huge traffic rush. Lets take the case in a manufacturing unit where the production is going on for a particular product A which delivery time of 7 days but work can be finished by 4 days . And there comes a rush order of product B which has to be delivered by 2 days. The production manager decides to change and finish the production of product B and on the next day there comes an breakdown of a machine of product B.Now this makes the work in process of the remaining product B accumulate at this particular machine as this is an important process in making product B . Since the machine is costly and is a line production there is no alternative machine either. This is the case in highway , being a one way, the cars will rush and cause a huge jam. The maintenance department must be vigilant at this point and do enough failure mode effective analysis to make sure the machine does not breakdown at any point. The preventive maintenance should be done at regular intervals in order to avoid such accidents . In case of highway , the highway department must be ready with ambulances and cranes in order to remove the cars at the point of accident.

Another case can be in the field of service, Lets take the case of a petrol pumb , where they follow a line production kind of queue and if the service rate is lower than the incoming rate of the customers, it will cause a huge rush of vehicles especially at the time of morning hours.

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