Dozuki Case Studies Preserving Tribal Knowledge in the Manufacturing Industry Amidst Workforce Shifts

Edit This Case Study Record

	Preserving Tribal Knowledge in the Manufacturing Industry Amidst Workforce Shifts Dozuki

Preserving Tribal Knowledge in the Manufacturing Industry Amidst Workforce Shifts

Dozuki

Technology Category	Functional Applications - Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS)
Applicable Functions	Maintenance Quality Assurance
Use Cases	Time Sensitive Networking Visual Quality Detection
Services	Testing & Certification
Challenge	The case study revolves around a large manufacturing company that relies heavily on tribal knowledge for its maintenance procedures. The company has a unique situation where certain maintenance procedures are only required every 5 to 10 years. This knowledge is passed down from long-term employees who have been with the company for decades. However, the company is facing a potential challenge with the changing dynamics of the workforce. The current trend shows that millennials, who are now the dominant workforce, tend to stay with a company for only 2-3 years, significantly less than the 5-10 year maintenance cycle. The average tenure of workers is 4.6 years, and even lower for millennials at 3.2 years. This poses a significant risk to the company's maintenance procedures as the knowledge may not be passed down effectively due to the shorter tenure of employees. Read More
About Customer	The customer in this case study is a large manufacturing company known for its high-quality standards. The company has a unique maintenance program where certain procedures are only required every 5 to 10 years. The company has a long-standing tradition of relying on tribal knowledge, with long-term employees passing down the knowledge of these maintenance procedures. The company boasts a workforce with a high retention rate, with many employees staying with the company for over 30 years. However, the company is facing a potential challenge with the changing dynamics of the workforce, with millennials, who tend to have a shorter tenure, becoming the dominant workforce. Read More
Solution	The solution to this challenge is to shift away from relying solely on tribal knowledge and start recording and redistributing this knowledge. This would involve creating a system or process where the knowledge of these maintenance procedures is documented and easily accessible for future reference. This could be in the form of a digital database or a manual, depending on the company's preference and resources. The company would need to ensure that this knowledge is updated regularly and that new employees are trained on how to access and use this information. This would not only preserve the knowledge but also ensure that it is passed down effectively, regardless of the tenure of the employees. This shift would require a significant effort but is a necessary endeavor to ensure the continuity of the company's high-quality standards. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Functional Applications - Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS)

Applicable Functions

Maintenance

Quality Assurance

Use Cases

Time Sensitive Networking

Visual Quality Detection

Services

Testing & Certification

Challenge

The case study revolves around a large manufacturing company that relies heavily on tribal knowledge for its maintenance procedures. The company has a unique situation where certain maintenance procedures are only required every 5 to 10 years. This knowledge is passed down from long-term employees who have been with the company for decades. However, the company is facing a potential challenge with the changing dynamics of the workforce. The current trend shows that millennials, who are now the dominant workforce, tend to stay with a company for only 2-3 years, significantly less than the 5-10 year maintenance cycle. The average tenure of workers is 4.6 years, and even lower for millennials at 3.2 years. This poses a significant risk to the company's maintenance procedures as the knowledge may not be passed down effectively due to the shorter tenure of employees.

About Customer

The customer in this case study is a large manufacturing company known for its high-quality standards. The company has a unique maintenance program where certain procedures are only required every 5 to 10 years. The company has a long-standing tradition of relying on tribal knowledge, with long-term employees passing down the knowledge of these maintenance procedures. The company boasts a workforce with a high retention rate, with many employees staying with the company for over 30 years. However, the company is facing a potential challenge with the changing dynamics of the workforce, with millennials, who tend to have a shorter tenure, becoming the dominant workforce.

Solution

The solution to this challenge is to shift away from relying solely on tribal knowledge and start recording and redistributing this knowledge. This would involve creating a system or process where the knowledge of these maintenance procedures is documented and easily accessible for future reference. This could be in the form of a digital database or a manual, depending on the company's preference and resources. The company would need to ensure that this knowledge is updated regularly and that new employees are trained on how to access and use this information. This would not only preserve the knowledge but also ensure that it is passed down effectively, regardless of the tenure of the employees. This shift would require a significant effort but is a necessary endeavor to ensure the continuity of the company's high-quality standards.

Impact #1	The operational result of implementing this solution would be the preservation and effective redistribution of the company's tribal knowledge. This would ensure that the knowledge of the maintenance procedures is not lost due to the shorter tenure of the employees. It would also ensure that the company's high-quality standards are maintained, as the knowledge of these procedures is crucial to the quality of the products. Additionally, this would also make the training of new employees more efficient, as they would have access to this knowledge from the start. This would also reduce the risk of any potential disruptions in the maintenance procedures due to the lack of knowledge.

Impact #1

The operational result of implementing this solution would be the preservation and effective redistribution of the company's tribal knowledge. This would ensure that the knowledge of the maintenance procedures is not lost due to the shorter tenure of the employees. It would also ensure that the company's high-quality standards are maintained, as the knowledge of these procedures is crucial to the quality of the products. Additionally, this would also make the training of new employees more efficient, as they would have access to this knowledge from the start. This would also reduce the risk of any potential disruptions in the maintenance procedures due to the lack of knowledge.

Download PDF Version

Overview

Preserving Tribal Knowledge in the Manufacturing Industry Amidst Workforce Shifts

Operational Impact