assignment due 8/4

Lean operations are used to improve processes in a wide variety of industries, not just manufacturing.

Organizations worldwide are using Lean to eliminate waste, reduce inventory, increase throughput, and

provide better customer service. As a result, impro

ved operations are positively impacting the bottom line.

For this assignment, you’ll read and analyze a case study

about a Lean implementation at

Caesars

Casinos. Then, you’ll write a

6-

8 page

paper

that describes how

challenges were handled during the

process, your own proposal for a

similar

kaizen

event, and your recommendation for a Lean

implementation.

Answer the following questions about the Caesars Casinos case study:

1.

Describe two challenges that Caesars experienced during the Lean implementation

process.

What actions were taken to overcome each challenge? Were they effective?

2.

Assume

you manage hotel housekeeping at Harrah’

s Metropolis location

, and service scores

h

ave declined over the past year

. As part of the Lean rollout, you and some of your

front

-

line

employees will participate in a

kaizen

event focused on improving guest

-

room housekeeping

operations.

•

What KPIs (key performance indicators) would you propose to track to determine whether

the changes implemented through the

kaizen

effort actually improve performance?

Explain

your choice of

KPIs.

•

Develop a detailed

agenda for this

kaizen

event

. Your agenda should outline the event’s

activities, timing, duration, and Lean

tools. Explain your rationale for each agenda item.

3.

At the end

of the case study, Caesars’ SVP/GM Brad Hirsch is faced with a choice between two

process improvement approaches, expert

-

driven or employee

-

centered.

•

What would be the advantages and disadvantages of an

expert

-

driven approach to

process improvement at the Metropolis facility, in contrast to the employee

-

centered

approach used at Tunica?

•

Which approach would you recommend for the Metropolis facility, and why?

Your assignment must

follow these formatting requirements

:

•

Be typed and double

-

spaced, using

Times New Roman font (size 12) with one

-

inch margins on all

sides; references must follow APA or school

-

specific format. Check with your professor for any