A video on POM course

A better version of the video is attached below:

Goal setting -Tower building

Tower Building Exercise

Specifications :

Project/Task : To build a vertical tower using wooden cubes of equal size.


Team :  3 members


Proposed target : A tower of 23 blocks


Target Achieved : A tower of 19 blocks


Stake holders : The 3 team members

Team Structure:

1 Manager
1 Supervisor
1 Worker

The task description :

The very first thing while starting the project was goal setting.It is very important for a team to set realistic goals.
The goals should be S.M.A.R.T.

Initially, the proposed height of the tower was 23 blocks.But, after knowing that the previous record was of 18 blocks the team decided to set a realistic goal.


The stake holders invested money in the project.Now, it was a matter of pride and money for them to complete the task!
Everybody thought its very very simple to build a tower with the blocks.But, the twist arrived.The task was to be performed blind folded and with the left hand. 
So, as the difficulty level increased it called for a quick Strategic huddle by the team.The roles were decided.
One member placed the blocks, second person guided him verbally and the third person was observing their
moves.
It took them longer than usual to build the tower but in the end, they made a tower of 19 blocks, a record for that matter!

Learning from this exercise :

• Set realistic goals,considering the past record, also try to go that extra mile
• Allocate work between team members properly
• Top level management people are always very serious regarding a project
• Employee welfare is critical
• Supervisor need to communicate effectively with the manager and the subordinates
• Customer specifications should be given the highest priority
• Team motivation is the need of the hour
• Plan your project according to the time limit.
• Continuously monitor processes for improvement

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Three Monks

The 3 Monks.

The story of three monks on a hill-top temple is a very good example of how team work can solve the most complex problems.

The youtube link to the video is given below

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rolBiHfWokY

The story consists of three monks belonging to different age group.

Monk 1: He is a teenager who arrives first at the place of worship. He is mischievous, playful and a little careless in nature.
He brings two buckets full of water at one time and as a result feels sleepy while meditating at night.

Monk 2: He is a young and responsible monk.But he likes to keep an air of authority among himself.

Monk 3: He is a jolly person who does whatever he feels like doing.He doesn't care about others.

The story goes like this:

Scene 1 : 
Initially, one bucket of water is sufficient for monk1 for a day.But he fetched two buckets of water wasting extra time and energy.

Scene2 : 
When the second monk arrives ,that one bucket of water becomes insufficient for two monks. So,monk2 decides to fetch two buckets of water himself.Monk1 is relieved and is overjoyed because he does not have to bring water, thus his effort is saved.but monk2 being annoyed by monk1's behavior asks him to join.So, now both the monks set out to fetch water in one bucket as it is impossible to carry two buckets with one stick being shared between two people.
On the way monk1 tries to play mischief and monk2 is frustrated by his antics.
They get stuck with the problem of lack of synergy.

But, what is synergy?

Synergy : The interaction or cooperation of two or more people to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of individual effects.

The problems faced by the two monks are due to:

1. Height difference between them
2. their work methods lead to conflict
3. The bucket is not remain at the midpoint of the stick.
4. The attitude of monk1 towards the task is not good.
5. Both the monks have different hand measurements, so midpoint is not accurate.
6. They have conflict of opinion.

Possible Solutions:

1. One person can get two buckets of water every alternate day
2. Two persons can carry two buckets at a time with a longer stick
3. Two and four buckets can be employed to get more water daily
4. One monk can stand half way to collect buckets from other monk who will fetch water from pond.
5. Improve the attitude of the monk.

Actual Solution:
Monk 1 takes out a scale for measuring the midpoint.
They measure the midpoint and properly carry the water bucket by sharing the load nicely.

Learning from this incident:
Sometimes people who seem to have bad attitude come up with tangible solutions.We should encourage people to come up with ideas irrespective of their behavior.

Scene3 :
Due to his carefree nature monk3 does not realize that he is using up all the water brought by monk1 and monk2. They force him to bring two buckets of water as the demand increases.
But, it is of no use as monk3 drinks whatever water he brings up.

Scene 4 :
Finally frustrated by monk3 the other monks decide to avoid talking to him.Thus, all three of them are left with no water to drink during the night.

Scene 5 :
That night a fire takes place in the temple while the monks are sleeping.By the time they get to know about the fire it starts to gulp the shrine.
The monks run for water in panic and struggle to bring water to douse the fire.
Somehow they manage to put off the fire in the end.

Eventually, they understand the importance of team work and decide to incorporate a scientific solution to the water problem.
They install a pullry at the edge of the hill and take turns to pull the water bucket, thus saving lot of effort and time.
Thus, they succeed in utilizing their energy in a effective manner.

Learning from this incident: Team synergy is necessary to avoid adverse situations(accidents) and prevent them from occurring in future.

Conclusion: Two persons bringing one bucket is more efficient than one person bringing two buckets.
The proof of this conclusion is as below:

Sr. No.	Parameters	Method 1 :One person bringing two buckets	Method 2 :Two persons bringing one bucket	Method 3:Pulley is incorporated
1	Input - No. of People	1	2	3
2	Effort (Joule)	100	80	Nil
3	Output - No. of Buckets	2	1	Many
4	Productivity	100/1 = 100 J	80/2 = 40 J	Much More
5	Communication	Nil	Direct - Personal	Indirect – Instantaneous
6	Task role	Independent	Dependent	Highly Dependent
7	Work changes	Nil	Midpoint Identification	Innovative work practices
8	Work life balance	hard	Easier	Fun
9	Philosophy of work life	Work for death. Protestant work ethic	Work to live	Work-Fun-Moksha
10	Human Nature	Theory X	Theory Y	Theory Z

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Valley Crossing

"Three stooges crossing the valley"

Valley crossing exercise is a unique way of learning the importance of team work.
In the above picture, three workers are seen trying to cross a valley carrying a long wooden log.

Objective : To safely transport the wooden log on the other side of the valley.

Specifications: Valley length =  between 1 foot and 2 feet.

Man power: 3

Scene 1:

As seen in the picture above the 3 workers match each other with respect to the steps taken.This synchronism helps in walking equal distances, thus eliminating walking error.

Scene 2:

In this picture the last2 workers take the load of the 1st worker along with the weight of the wooden log.By the time the 1st worker reaches the other end of valley the 2nd worker is on the brink of valley. As the distance between the two ends of valley is less than two feet, the 2nd worker does  not fall .

Scene 3:

In this picture the 1st and last worker take the total load of 2nd worker and the wooden log.Again due to the distance between the ends of valley the 2nd worker sails over it.when the last worker is at the brink of the valley, the 2nd worker reaches the other end of the valley.

Scene 4:

In this picture, similar to Scene1 the first two workers take the total load of the last worker and the wooden log and cross the valley successfully.

Summary:

Thus, we conclude that in order to achieve a challenging task safely we need the proper synergy and co ordination between the team members "Trust", which comes through long time bonding and team rapport.

Notice that the weight of any one of worker does not have an impact on the outcome.

Ambitious Attempt:

Now, you might wonder whether it is possible to cross this valley with only two workers?


Objective : To safely transport the wooden log on the other side of the valley.

Specifications: Valley length between 1 foot and 2 feet.

Man power: 2



A proper analysis of the above situation tells that it is impossible to cross the valley with two people.
This is because the workers walk with the same leg each time in sync.
Also, the distance between two ends of the valley is far greater for a worker to hold the weight of the other worker.
So, it is technically impossible to cross the valley with two people.

Learning from the Exercise:

1. Though team work can achieve any goal, we should know our limits and set realistic goals.
2. Team work is necessary to achieve difficult tasks comfortably.
3. Trust is an altogether important element for a team to deliver timely results.
4. Understanding and rapport is necessary for success.
5. Every individual has an equal and important role to play in an organization.

Some out of the box solutions:

The workers can put the wooden log on the valley and cross the valley by walking on it and then again picking it up.In this way there will be maximum safety.


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A study of Cummins India Limited

Disclaimer: This blog is strictly meant for educational purpose.It is not an attempt at marketing or to violate any copyright.

About the company:

Cummins' presence in India stems from a joint venture incorporated in 1962. Ground was broken for a factory in Pune the same year and the plant began manufacturing engines at the beginning of 1964. In 1997, Cummins Inc. increased its stake to 51 percent with the rest being traded on the Bombay Stock Exchange. With this the joint venture became a consolidated subsidiary of Cummins Inc. and continues till date as Cummins India Limited. By 2004, Cummins had formed multiple legal entities in India including joint ventures.

Today, eight legal entities of the Group represent all of the Cummins global business units. Having expanded its business across markets and geographies, the Group spans 200 locations in the country and employs close to 14,000 individuals. Cummins in India reported combined sales of approximately Rs. 10,500 crores in 2011.

. Part of the US $ 10.8 billion Cummins Inc., Cummins in India is a Group of nine legal entities across 200 locations in the country with a combined  turnover of approximately Rs. 6,300 crores and employing over 11,000 individuals.

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Products:

Engine Value Packages (60-2700 HP)

Auto, Construction, Mining,
Compressors, Pumps, Marine,
Rail, Oil & Gas, Defense
B series
ISLe 
C series
B Gas

Power Generation

Gensets (15-2000 kVA), Energy
Management, Captive Power
Plants, Alternators

MARKON

2 pole low voltage alternators in the range 0.6 - 7.5 KVA

STAMFORD

2, 4 and 6 - pole alternators in the range 7.5 - 2200 KVA

AVK

4 to 18 pole low, medium and high voltage ac generators in the range 600 - 20,000 KVA

Components & Consumables

Filtration, Turbochargers,
Emission Solutions, Lubricants

Services

Engines, Gensets, IT/ITES,
R&D, Sourcing, Finance, HR
Lubricants
Car Care
Filters

 KPIT Cummins INfosystems Limited

 We are a leading technology solutions partner for global Manufacturing corporations with special focus on Automotive, Energy & Utilities, Industrial Equipments, and Semiconductor industries. OurInformation Technology solutions help our customers run their businesses more efficiently. OurProduct Engineering solutions enable our customers to build products that are energy efficient, safer and yield more comfort for their customer

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Markets:

________________________________________________________________________

Customers:

________________________________________________________________________

Geographical spread of the company:

________________________________________________________________________ 

Vision:

“Making people's lives better by unleashing the Power of Cummins "

________________________________________________________________________

 Mission:

• Motivating people to act like owners working together.
• Exceeding customer expectations by always being first to market with the best  products.
• Partnering with our customers to make sure that they succeed.
• Demanding that everything we do leads to a cleaner, healthier, safer environment.
• Creating wealth for all stakeholders. 

________________________________________________________________________

Values:

• Integrity. Strive to do what is right and do what we say we will do.
• Innovation. Apply the creative ingenuity necessary to make us better, faster, first.
• Delivering Superior Results. Exceed expectations, consistently.
• Corporate Responsibility. Serve and improve the communities in which we live.
• Diversity. Embrace the diverse perspectives of all people and honor with both dignity and respect.
• Global Involvement. Seek a world view and act without boundaries

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Goals:

________________________________________________________________________

Srategy:

________________________________________________________________________

 Organizational Structure:

________________________________________________________________________

No. of employees:

Cummins India Ltd has about 3000 employees at various locations.
________________________________________________________________________

Unique  Work Systems – Ex. ISO, CMM certifications:

Six Sigma

– Now in its 11th year

– 335 projects closed

– Rs. 61.89 crores in savings

– Seven projects received the Cummins Inc. Chairman‟s Quality Award

– Leadership Development Tool

TRIMS

– Rs. 12.4 crores in bottom line savings and Rs. 39.7 crores in avoidance savings

ACE II

– Rs. 53.8 crores in savings

ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certifications for all engine manufacturing plants in Pune


________________________________________________________________________

Customer policies:

________________________________________________________________________

HRM - Employee management policies:

Right Environment for Success

•  Established through the Vision, Mission and Values
•  Centralized hiring and Onboarding
•  Representation at College Hires
•  Diversity
•  One Cummins - leveraging synergies
•  Leadership and Employee development
•  Performance Ethic
•  Improved Code of Business Conduct governance process
•  Increased focus on Corporate Responsibility

________________________________________________________________________

Corporate governance code:

Far higher focus in this area

•  Prioritized higher education, energy/environment and infrastructure development
•  Cummins College of Engineering for Women - Signature project
•  Every Employee Every Community
•  Environmental Challenge
•  Cummins Scholarship Program

________________________________________________________________________

Organizational Culture – Employee Satisfaction Surveys:

________________________________________________________________________

Awards, distinctions that the company has earned:

1)    Cummins conferred with the CII National Award for “Excellence in Energy Management        
        2010”

2)    Cummins wins again the “Voice of the Customer” Awards from Frost & Sullivan in Five  

        Categories

3)    Anant Talaulicar awarded President's Award 2011 by SIAM

4)    Best Quality Performance‟ Award by Atlas Copco

________________________________________________________________________

Current Top management team:

________________________________________________________________________

Target:

________________________________________________________________________

SWOT analysis of company:

Strengths:

• Values based performance ethic
• Market leadership
• Long term customer and supplier partnerships
• Global technology with localization capabilities
• Customer support capabilities
• Sustaining business strategy

Weaknesses:

• Cautious demand outlook short term
• Limitations in transmission network capacity leading to pockets of acute power shortages
• Targeted at low kVA export market

Opportunities:

• Focused Last Mile Six Sigma Projects
• Open up newer markets for NG products, especially in south and east
• Generator Set Plant at SEZ, Megasite in Phaltan

Threats:

• Coal shortages  for power gen sector – power deficit expected to continue
• Non-coal mining sector has seen moderation  in growth and the outlook remains cautious in short term
• Diesel price deregulation in near future is likely to affect the sales of diesel generator sets

References:

• http://www.cumminsindia.com/faq.html
• http://www.cumminsindia.com/documents/presentations/Presentation%20for%20Analyst%20Meet.pdf
• http://www.cumminsindia.com/documents/presentations/Transcript%20-%20Q4,%202012.pdf
• http://business-standard.com/content/research_pdf/kkc1_180512.pdf
• http://www.cumminsindia.com/documents/annual_reports/Cummins%20Full%20AR%2011-12.pdf
• http://www.moneycontrol.com/india/stockpricequote/engines/cumminsindia/CI02

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