Research

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Print Productivity: A System Dynamics Approach

Area: Processes, Productivity, and Profitability
Document # PICRM-2008-05

The productivity of the printing industry in terms of real sales per employee has been growing at an annualized rate of 1.9% for more than a decade. The National Association for Printing Leadership (NAPL) reports that the industry is lagging when compared to the average productivity growth of 4% from the non-durable manufacturing industries (2004). Many possible reasons for this lag are presented, but the main causes are the inefficiencies of the print production system when analyzed as a whole. Technology within the printing industry has improved dramatically; however, its implementation usually delivers localized improvements with marginal effects on the whole system. Printers are too focused on the productivity of specific equipment and not enough on the overall throughput of the system.

To address this issue, a computer simulation model of a generic print production workflow using system dynamics was developed. The use of simple tools known as stocks and flows, in conjunction with information feedbacks, resulted in a complete representation of the complexity of the system. Through multiple iterations and interaction with the model, opportunities for productivity improvement of individual print companies can be identified.

Additionally, the model acts as a learning tool for testing mental models and for improving the understanding of the print production system. The model was used to simulate five scenarios: status quo, aggressive sales, press productivity improvement, shrinking order size, and synergy. The synergy scenario achieved the best overall results when compared to the status quo scenario. Under this scenario, the throughput of the whole system increased by 47% during the simulation, considering both fixed capital and labor resources. Therefore, through correct policy design and implementation, real productivity gains for the whole system can be achieved.

Download the full monograph.

Instructions for downloading the simulation:
1. Download the free iSee Player here.

2. Download the final version of the model: PPMv1-2.itm.

3. Open the PPM v1.2.itm file using the iSee Player software. Follow the instructions on the control panel and enjoy.

4. Please report any bugs to: uribejorge@hotmail.com

Note: You may try out different scenarios; test your own data; review the model variables and structure; try to beat the results presented on the synergy scenario; and in general enjoy the simulation at no cost, learning by trial and error and immediate feedback. The model is password protected and you will not be able to modify its structure and equations. To purchase a full unrestricted version of the model or to request custom modifications of the model according to your specific needs, please contact Jorge Uribe by email: uribejorge@hotmail.com

Tags: print productivity system dynamics workflow

Author

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Jorge Uribe
Graduate Student, School of Print Media
Rochester Institute of Technology