The Ford 2000 Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Ford 2000 Plan - Essay ExampleFor the IT department, it meant sweeping changes. Standardizing software through give away the global business would most certainly improve conference abilities. Everyone would be utilise the same tools and thus, speaking the same language, at least in computer terms. I could see that updating and maintenance of such a system from a centralized IT command would surely cut costs in the long run. Emphasis would be shifted from developing specialized software to using software largely developed by other companies that were actually in the software business. Ford would concentrate on developing vehicles, non software. I ruling it was a smart plan.Yet, from news reports, now 6 years later, I knew The Plan had failed. Ford continued to lose money. Massive layoffs and plant closings were in remembering (Durbin 1). I did not know what went wrong. Then I located 2002 interview with James Buczkowski, Director of IT for Manufacturing and Supply Chain at Fo rd (Ricciuti).Buczkowski makes it clear, as each department head would, that he would want more money directed toward his operations. That being said, he accepts the fact that he is being asked to do more with slight and operate with a back to basics mentality (Ricciuti Para. 1). That means cutting back on things like web site design and emphasizing modalities that serve up design and build better vehicles in a more cost-efficient manner. He plans to invest in more CAD and CAM. He is to concentrate on projects that will directly increase the companys bottom line, either through more efficient manufacturing or through decreased design/build costs.The director points out another area of concern lack of IT skills within the company. With the advent of The Ford 2000 Plan, many IT functions were outsourced. This caused a decline in the IT skill-levels available from employees. Were trying to rebuild slightly of those skills where we were maybe a little too leveraged on outside (sour ces). We need much more skill and competency internally (Quest. 6). As any politically correct corporate officer would, Buczkowski chooses to focus on the future, rather than publicly analyze shortcomings of the past. It is clear, however, that money was spent on technologies that did not add to the profitability of the company, like web site design, and that by outsourcing software design, in-house capabilities were lost. He sees integration of various software applications to be a continuing challenge. As more applications integrate, you have an environs that is more challenging to manage (Quest. 16). Buczkowski wants to see a modular approach so that applications may be plugged into the system and later unplugged, replaced as essential with newer, better application modules.In summary, I think The Ford 2000 Plan went wrong in the following ways. First, standardization and integration of off-the-shelf software was a bust. It did not provide the flexibility needed to design uniqu e, quality products. It was an over-reduction of a complex need. Second, in its attempt to simplify, it lost the skills needed to change course when the simplification did not work.As this article relates to Systems Thinking and the examination of complexity, I see IT as a provider of tools. The best tools in the world are not good enough if they are so complex that no one knows how to use them or communicate the fruits of their labor to the rest of the company. If the