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• Case | HBS Case Collection | August 2017 (Revised June 2019)

  Flex Hungary: Launching Production (A)

  Willy Shih

  This case examines design choices in the construction of flow lines. Flow lines are a popular way of arranging production because they are simple and inherently efficient. Equipment or workstations are arranged according to the sequence of steps in which a product is made. Each step consists of a set of tasks that individually are minimum rational work elements. These are combined to form the work assignment associated with the step. The work follows the same sequence of operations as it moves down the line, and the sequence is fixed from batch to batch. The case setting is a production site in Hungary that is starting up the production of a personal beverage maker. Should the team implement a conveyor-paced line in preference to a manual pull system? An analysis of process steps and times gives students an opportunity to debate this question.

  Keywords: manufacturing; line-balancing; flow line; conveyor-paced line; consumer goods; consumer products; Production management; Production Planning; Production scheduling; Operations; Production; Supply Chain; Design; Consumer Products Industry; Manufacturing Industry; European Union;

  Citation:

  Shih, Willy. "Flex Hungary: Launching Production (A)." Harvard Business School Case 618-002, August 2017. (Revised June 2019.)  View Details

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• Article | Harvard Business Review (website) | May 16, 2019

  To Improve Food Inspections, Change the Way They're Scheduled

  Maria Ibanez and Michael W. Toffel

  Health inspections are an important tool to increase food safety, but there are still 48 million cases of food-borne illnesses and 128,000 hospitalizations every year in the United States. Our research finds that inspectors reported fewer health code violations as they conducted subsequent inspections throughout the day, and even fewer violations at inspections that risked prolonging their work day. Also, inspectors reported more code violations when the previous establishment the inspector visited had many violations. Based on these patterns, we propose scheduling adjustments that would increase inspectors’ scrutiny and significantly reduce food-borne illnesses and hospitalizations.

  Keywords: inspection; scheduling; Food; Safety; Health; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Performance Improvement;

  Citation:

  Ibanez, Maria, and Michael W. Toffel. "To Improve Food Inspections, Change the Way They're Scheduled." Harvard Business Review (website) (May 16, 2019).  View Details

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• Teaching Note | HBS Case Collection | May 2019

  JUUL and the Vaping Revolution

  Michael W. Toffel, Trevor Fetter, John Masko and Sarah Mehta

  Teaching Note for HBS No. 619-006.

  Keywords: electronic cigarettes; E-Cigarettes; vaping; Nicotine Replacement; JUUL; Juuling; Advertising; Advertising Campaigns; Online Advertising; Customers; Innovation and Invention; Innovation Strategy; Marketing; Ethics; Brands and Branding; Marketing Communications; Marketing Strategy; Product Marketing; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Social Issues; Technology; Technology Industry; San Francisco;

  Citation:

  Toffel, Michael W., Trevor Fetter, John Masko, and Sarah Mehta. "JUUL and the Vaping Revolution." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 619-068, May 2019.  View Details

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