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Case
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Reference no. 9-695-030
Authors: David M Upton
Published by: Harvard Business Publishing
Originally published in: 1995
Version: 30 June 1995
Length: 23 pages
Data source: Published sources

Abstract

Describes the development and exploitation of a radical new computer- integrated technology in the largely manual meat-processing industry. The technology has been developed by the meat industry''s research organization over a period of 15 years, and is now ready for commercial exploitation. Unfortunately, it is not clear how the industry can use the technology since its scale demands larger firms than exist at present, and its operation requires expertise that the industry does not have. The commercializing firm is also under pressure to break the system into smaller modules, losing some of the benefits of computer integration, but gaining a dissemination path. There is another model for improvement in the industry, relying on incremental improvement, rather than radical technology change, and many have said that the project is doomed, since it might not provide the best path for improvement in the industry.; Used to explore two very different models of operations improvement, as well as important issues related to the development and exploitation of computer-integration systems.

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Abstract

Describes the development and exploitation of a radical new computer- integrated technology in the largely manual meat-processing industry. The technology has been developed by the meat industry''s research organization over a period of 15 years, and is now ready for commercial exploitation. Unfortunately, it is not clear how the industry can use the technology since its scale demands larger firms than exist at present, and its operation requires expertise that the industry does not have. The commercializing firm is also under pressure to break the system into smaller modules, losing some of the benefits of computer integration, but gaining a dissemination path. There is another model for improvement in the industry, relying on incremental improvement, rather than radical technology change, and many have said that the project is doomed, since it might not provide the best path for improvement in the industry.; Used to explore two very different models of operations improvement, as well as important issues related to the development and exploitation of computer-integration systems.

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