The constantly growing interest of manufacturing and distribution companies in the rationalization of transport processes and the optimization of distribution networks – both in terms of analyzing the correctness of implemented processes and in subsequent stages of their control, using technical and economic metrics and indicators, and in particular cost indicators, has become the basis for undertaking work aimed at developing a methodology for using a process approach with elements of controlling in the field of transport analysis.
In view of the above, in the developed methodology, the author used a process approach, which facilitates the description of currently implemented organizational activities in the field of transport in the studied enterprise. The process analysis conducted as part of the methodology is complemented by the controlling of implemented processes. The result of applying the described methodology is an analysis of the efficiency of process functioning in the transport area, on the basis of which actions are defined, the implementation of which leads to the rationalization of business processes in the enterprise.
Why a process approach
The first source of the need for process improvement is the constantly growing requirements of Customers. The second is the necessity of improving processes, as their uncontrolled variability and changes occurring in the environment translate into a lack of correctness and efficiency in the implementation of processes required by Customers. Other reasons may be the results of benchmarking studies, the results of an audit, or the implementation of a new strategy. In all the mentioned cases, it is necessary to improve processes so that they meet the set requirements at the lowest possible costs. In view of the above, companies looking for recipes leading to higher operational efficiency are returning to the idea of processes. The assumption of the process approach is the optimization of activities, keeping in mind primarily processes, not functions. Therefore, the process is a natural determinant of achieving efficiency growth by an enterprise. Process-managed companies have identified their business processes and possess their maps, the knowledge of which allows for a systematic pursuit of improving the flow of these processes. Thanks to the use of process management, employees focus more on bottlenecks, use resources more effectively, and reduce excess capacity.
Process mapping
In order to correctly conduct a process analysis of an enterprise, one must also understand the essence of process flow mapping. Process mapping is a technique that enables the visualization of a process flow using maps. Business process maps, which are created as a result of mapping, are a reflection of the reality occurring in the enterprise. The fundamental goal of creating process maps is to describe business processes, which in the next step are subject to simplification, elimination of activities, and improvements in such a way that products and services, which are the result of the processes, are cheaper, better, and faster to obtain.
The article comes from the magazine “Logistyka” 6/2010.