BMW Case Analysis: Carl-Peter Forester's 7-Series Prototypes

BMW CASE ANALYSIS
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BMW Case Analysis
Recommendations to Carl-Peter Forester concerning the 7-series prototypes
Forester should consider new insights into a range of aspects of the 7-series prototypes. The first recommendation is the need to consider new pre-fabrication tools. As evident in the case, the organization failed to identify quality problems with their cars until it was late due to the application of different tools in pre-fabrication and in developing new products. The organization must open a platform in which it can learn more from the prototypes (Pisano, 2002). If Forester considers new pre-production tools, he positions the organization to identify challenges as soon as they are realized. Also, Forester should prepare for regular prototypes. As noted in the case, quality concerns stem from more time spent on developing the prototypes that require efficient workmanship. Not only is the use of regular prototypes time-saving, but it also reduces costs incurred in acquiring skilled labor and clay materials in developing the prototypes and the cars eventually.
Forester should also focus on cost management in developing the 7-series. That is, the organization should consider pre-fabrication tools in developing prototype models. That is because one of the biggest quality challenges that the organization faced was a mismatch between materials used in the prototype and those used in real production (Pisano, 2002). The application of different materials implied discrepancies while assessing product quality. Once different materials are used, the organization understands that the products will reflect the quality of materials used in either the prototype or the real product and not in both. Still, in production tools, multiple factors contribute to the quality of the products realized, especially after the use of different materials. One of the avenues to bridge the gaps is by reducing the lead time in production. At BMW, the space between prototype production and the production of the products was too long. The time-lapse meant that materials could wear between the development of the prototype and the actual production. The characteristics of materials must be maintained both in developing the prototypes and in the execution of the actual products, something that is possible only with proper maintenance of material quality between the production phases.
Additionally, BMW also incurred a lot of costs in developing the prototypes at the expense of assuring a better quality of their final products. Notably, the organization employed fake materials in prototypes. Such a strategy implied that the quality problems of their vehicles would only be realized after the final products. Fixing quality problems at the prototype level would have allowed the company to lower quality assurance costs while executing the actual products. Also, the case implies that the organization invested heavily in the development of the prototypes. Highly skilled craftsmen and laborers were directed to develop the handmade clayed prototype. Such a strategy meant that the company took a long time in developing the prototypes. As the development of the prototypes took longer, the c...