U.S. Navy Shipyards An Evaluation of Workload--and Workforce--Management Practices

by Riposo, Jessie; Alkire, Brien; Schank, John F.; Arena, Mark V.; Kallimani, James G.

• ISBN13: 9780833045690
• ISBN10: 0833045695
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-01-16
• Publisher: RAND Corporation

Summary

The U.S. Navy spends nearly $ 4 billion annually on maintaining ships. Most of this work is done at public shipyards that perform some of the most complex tasks the Department of Defense must accomplish. Shipyard managers face some unique challenges. The shipyards are required to be flexible enough to meet both planned and emerging operational needs that can cause significant disruptions to schedules and workloads. Laws and policies dictating when, where, and by whom maintenance can be performed limit management options.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. iii
Figures	p. ix
Tables	p. xi
Summary	p. xiii
Acknowledgments	p. xxi
Abbreviations	p. xxiii
Introduction	p. 1
Depot Maintenance of Naval Ships Is Big Business	p. 1
Overview of the Four Public Shipyards and Other Repair Facilities	p. 4
Norfolk Naval Shipyard	p. 6
Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility	p. 7
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard	p. 8
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility	p. 9
Other Facilities	p. 11
Management of the Public Shipyards	p. 13
Objective of the Research	p. 15
Research Approach	p. 15
Organization of the Monograph	p. 16
An Evaluation of Planned and Actual Workload Demand	p. 17
Shipyard Workload Plans	p. 17
Factors Influencing the Demand for Depot-Level Services	p. 19
Force Structure	p. 19
Maintenance Policies, Practices and Philosophies	p. 21
Maintenance Requirements	p. 22
Other Considerations	p. 23
Workload-Demand Forecasts	p. 24
Variability and Uncertainty in Planned and Actual Demand	p. 27
Summary	p. 32
Cost-Effective Workforce Strategies	p. 35
Workforce Planning at the Public Depots	p. 36
The Shipyard Workforce and Workforce-Planning Process	p. 36
Workforce-Management Strategies for Meeting Variability and Uncertainty	p. 38
Analytical Framework and Methodology	p. 45
The Workforce Allocation Tool	p. 47
Data on Workload Demand	p. 49
Data on Workforce Characteristics	p. 50
Data on Cost Factors	p. 51
Productivity and the Relative Cost of Labor	p. 53
Variation in Productivity with the Use of Overtime	p. 53
The Effect of Worker Type and Experience on Productivity	p. 56
The Relative Productive Cost of Labor	p. 58
Strategies for Meeting Planned Workload Demands	p. 61
Implications of Workload Inflation	p. 63
Findings and Recommendations	p. 68
Additional Workforce Considerations and Sensitivity Results	p. 71
Shop-Level Evaluations	p. 72
Workload Variability	p. 73
Overtime	p. 74
Recruiting Challenges	p. 75
Time to Become Productive	p. 76
Attrition	p. 76
Demographics	p. 76
Shop-Level Summary	p. 78
The Limitations of Seasonal and Borrowed Labor and the Implications of Off-Site Work	p. 79
The Implications of Productivity Assumptions	p. 80
The Sensitivity of Available Workforce and Total Cost to Overtime Productivity	p. 80
Increased Productivity for Borrowed Workers	p. 82
An Evaluation of Alternative Workload Allocation Strategies	p. 85
Shift Work from the Private Sector to the Public Sector	p. 87
A Systemic Shift	p. 87
Short-Term Shift	p. 93
Shift Work Between Public Shipyards	p. 95
Summary	p. 96
An Evaluation of Other Organizations' Workload- and Workforce-Management Practices	p. 97
United Kingdom Dockyards	p. 98
Workload-Management Strategies	p. 98
Workforce-Management Strategies	p. 99
European Commercial Shipbuilders	p. 100
Workload-Management Strategies	p. 100
Workforce-Management Strategies	p. 101
The Depots of Other U.S. Military Services	p. 101
U.S. Army Depots	p. 102
U.S. Army Depot Workload-Management Strategies	p. 103
U.S. Army Depot Workforce-Management Strategies	p. 104
NASA Space-Shuttle Maintenance	p. 105
Findings Relevant to the U.S. Navy	p. 108
Retain Core Capabilities and Competencies, Subcontract Others	p. 108
Avoid Excess Overtime	p. 108
Use Temporary Labor to Meet Infrequent Peak Demands	p. 109
Promote a Multiskilled Workforce	p. 109
Smooth Workload Demands	p. 110
Augment Work	p. 110
Track Performance	p. 111
Conclusions and Implications	p. 113
Depot Laws and Policies Governing Management Options	p. 119
Depot Maintenance Industrial Base Study Questionnaire	p. 127
Mathematical Details of the Workforce Allocation Tool	p. 143
References	p. 157
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