Production and Operations management

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[Date]Production and Operations Management

Introduction

The idea of team work, team building and self directed work teams has entered in almost all the segments of the business world in the last few decades. We see more and more businesses introducing or increasing teamwork in their productions and operations processes. The main advantage of these work teams is not only that they help in pursuing the level of required quality, but also, these work teams help in bringing innovation also. To come up with excellent quality products, it is very necessary that the employees are involved and committed to their jobs in the true sense, and this commitment usually comes through team based work. A team brings together different experts with different knowledge and ideas that facilitate an environment of creative thinking. That is why, teams are known to facilitate innovation, as well as improve the quality of the product or the service that the company is offering. (Gleadle, 2009)

Discussion

3M is a global innovation company that has never ceased inventing. It was founded in 1902 and all through these years, the company has helped improve the lives of hundreds of millions of people all over the world. They produce a number of imaginative products that range from healthcare and highway safety to abrasives, adhesives and other products used in office. The6 secret to their success is their expertise of applying technology to meet a number of customer needs. Their six businesses include Consumer and office business, Display and Graphics Business, Electro and communications Business, Healthcare business, Industrial and transportation business, Safety, security and protection Services Business.

Today, its global sales exceed $27 billion; with international sales (outside US) more than $17.5 billion that accounts up to 65 percent of the company's total. The company's operations are spread across more ...