Systematic versus Intuitive Problem Solving on the Shop Floor

There is considerable evidence that technological and other changes in organizations bring problems; to survive and prosper, organizations must be competent in identifying and resolving these problems (Leonard-Barton, 1988; Tyre and Hauptman, 1992; von Hippel and Tyre, 1994). But while many studies have investigated the importance of problem solving activities, we know very little about the actual problem solving processes involved. Even less is known about the effectiveness of different kinds of problem solving approaches. Despite this lack of data, many authors are promoting the use of systematic problem solving approaches as a way of improving manufacturing output, quality, and competitiveness (Womack, Jone