Reduce Unique ICDs by Redesigning the Product or the Process

The objective of this activity is to reduce the number of ICDs by reducing the occurrence of an ICD in producing a unit of Output, or by reducing the number of separate ICDs used in the Output. A unique ICD is one of the key activities in the work center's contribution to the final product (O). It is separate and distinct from any other activity in the work center. For example, the fastening of a part onto a subassembly and a quality control check of the subassembly would be unique ICDs.

B. Redesign the process of producing the ICD or Output

Change the process used to produce the ICD or Output to eliminate activities.

6.
Reduce use of Purchases and Capital ICDs

No.	Industry SIC	Year	Notes
1	2800	2004	In a continuing effort to cut down health costs and improve the quality of care that their employees receive, a group of large corporations, including General Electric Co., Procter & Gamble Co., and Ford Motor Co., plans to expand a program that financially rewards physicians for implementing technology-based patient management systems. The program, called Bridges to Excellence, is part of a growing "pay-for-performance" trend. A central aspect of the plan involves incentives for doctors to install systems to handle electronic records and switch to electronic prescription writing.
2	3651	2008	Retailers and manufacturers are taking new steps to stem the tide of product returns. Vizio has included with its instruction booklets one-page quick-start guides that focus on the basics of set-up. And the company has recently begun including with its TVs the latest kind of cable – known by the designation HDMI – to connect its VO series TVs to high-def products, heading off customers used to older cables with different connectors.
3	4513	2006	In industries from airlines to glass-making, companies are curbing usage, revamping machinery, and shifting production schedules to offset energy costs. United Parcel Service Inc. managed to report higher first-quarter profit fueled by accelerating volume in most of its markets. One of UPS's innovations is a network of "electronic logbooks," which track preventive maintenance for each delivery truck. The company found a blanket maintenance schedule was wasteful, since maintenance needs vary depending on the size and even the type of tires on a truck. The logbooks are already saving the company an estimated 330,000 quarts of oil a year.
4	5331	2000	Value America also kept no inventories, relying on outside suppliers to fill orders and deliver the goods. This caused it to lose control of the sales process and take heat when consumer orders went awry.
5	6211	2004	While branches continue to be an engine for acquiring customers, efforts are made to avoid reintroducing the installed base into this higher-cost service channel: investor education seminars, for example, often convene at third party locations. By guiding customers through the sales and service process, Schwab has succeeded in offering them the benefits of a multichannel model while containing the cost of providing it.
6	7372	2007	In order to take advantage of Windows Vista and Office 2007, users will have to validate their copies online. Only users with authentic copies will be able to download programs and get extra features. Often, users are unaware that they are using a pirated copy. When they go to validate it, they will be encouraged to let Microsoft know where they purchased the product and download an authentic version for a reduced price.
7	8299	2005	Despite ongoing investigations of ITT Educational Services, the for-profit educator has remained on track. In 2004, student enrollment rose 14% from a year earlier. The company has diversified its product line, with a series of bachelor degree programs. With the difficult tech market, the company has branched out beyond tech jobs, such as associate and bachelor degrees in criminal justice and business. A new 2+1 hybrid program allows students to go to class two days on site and one day online, increasing capacity utilization at ITT's facilities.

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