| Course | LDR 309 Leading Through Change (LDR/309) |
|---|---|
| Week | 2 |
| Paper type | Workflow analysis and redesign |
| Length | about 1,003 words, 4 double-spaced pages plus title page and references |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | University of Phoenix |
| Program | BS in Business |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for LDR 309 Week 2
Bottlenecks on the Bottling Line: Workflow Management During a Production Expansion at a Kentucky Distillery
[Student Name]
University of Phoenix
LDR/309: Leading Through Change
Week 2 Assignment
[Instructor Name]
[Date]
Copper Ridge Distilling, its process data and its changes are composites written for a model paper.
Week 1 found that Copper Ridge Distilling, a composite craft distillery near Bardstown, Kentucky, was running its expansion project efficiently while neglecting the people side of change. One part of the expansion has already started. Three months ago, the distillery added a second bottling shift, expecting monthly output to rise from about 9,000 cases to about 16,000, enough to meet distributor orders. Output has reached only 11,500 cases. Overtime is high, and bottling staff on both shifts feel blamed. The operations manager, Tasha Reynolds, wants to understand why. This paper maps the bottling workflow, applies process management concepts and recommends changes.
Evidence From Applications
Mabin and Balderstone (2003) analyzed published cases in which organizations applied the theory of constraints and found large reported gains in throughput, lead time and inventory across manufacturing and service settings. Many of the gains came from scheduling and policy changes rather than new equipment, which suggests that a small distillery can improve flow without large capital spending.
The Theory of Constraints
Rahman (1998) reviewed the theory of constraints and its applications. Its central claim is that some single step caps what a whole system can produce, so the manager's job is to locate that step, squeeze the most out of it, arrange everything else around it, add capacity there if still needed and then look for the next limit. Improving a non-constraint step does not increase system output; it only builds inventory in front of the constraint.
Queues and Waiting Time
Little (1961) gave a formal proof of a rule for any stable queue: the typical amount of work inside equals the pace at which work arrives times the time each piece spends inside. If work piles up in front of a step while the rate of work through the system stays the same, the time each item waits must grow. Rising inventory is a visible sign of a hidden delay.
Mapping the Workflow
The bottling workflow has six steps: dumping barrels into tanks, proofing with water, filtering, filling and capping bottles, labeling and packing cases and palletizing. Copper Ridge bottles 14 products in three bottle sizes. Measurements over two weeks recorded the capacity of each step per shift and the queues between steps.
Step Capacities
Dumping, proofing and filtering can each handle the equivalent of about 500 cases per shift. Filling and capping runs at about 450 cases per shift when running. Labeling and packing runs at about 480 cases per shift when running but stops for 45 to 70 minutes at every product change to change labels, glue settings and case sizes. With an average of three product changes per shift, labeling and packing actually produces about 290 cases per shift. Palletizing handles 600.
Finding the Constraint
The labeling and packing step is the constraint. Filtered whiskey waits in holding tanks, and filled bottles wait on carts, sometimes for an entire shift. Using the relationship that Little (1961) proved, the average time a batch spends between filtering and finished cases has roughly doubled since the second shift began, because more work enters the system than labeling can process.
The second shift doubled the hours on the line, but it also doubled the number of times the labeler stood still for a changeover.
Why the Second Shift Fell Short
The second shift added hours at every step, but product changes are scheduled by distributor order dates, not by product family, so both shifts change products often. Each changeover idles the constraint. Before the second shift, the single day shift grouped orders loosely and averaged only one or two changeovers, so it produced about 400 cases per shift; splitting orders across two shifts raised changeovers to about three per shift. Meanwhile, the evening shift has less experienced operators, whose changeovers take longer.
Recommendation 1: Exploit the Constraint
Following the theory of constraints, the first step is to get more from labeling and packing. Changeover time will be cut by preparing label rolls, glue settings and case blanks before the line stops, a practice operators suggested. Breaks will be staggered so the labeler never stops for meals.
Recommendation 2: Subordinate Scheduling to the Constraint
Production will be scheduled by product family, running all 750-milliliter bourbons together, then all ryes, reducing changeovers from three per shift to one or two. Sales will agree to a weekly order cutoff to make this possible.
Recommendation 3: Train and Involve Operators
Experienced day-shift operators will train evening-shift staff on changeovers, and a team from both shifts will meet weekly to review changeover times and propose improvements. Their involvement addresses the readiness gaps identified in Week 1.
What Operators Said
Operators on both shifts confirmed the data in their own words. They described waiting for label rolls to be found, glue that needed adjusting for each bottle size and cases stacked in the wrong order for the next product. Several had suggested preparing supplies before changeovers, but no one had asked for their ideas. Their knowledge of the line is the fastest route to improvement.
Recommendation 4: Elevate Only If Needed
If output still falls short after these steps, Copper Ridge will consider a second labeling machine, about $180,000. Elevating the constraint comes last, after cheaper steps.
Measures
Results will be posted on the line at the end of each shift so operators can see the effect of their own changes. The team will track cases per shift, changeover minutes, number of changeovers, inventory waiting before labeling and overtime hours. The target is 15,000 cases a month within two months.
Conclusion
Process management research emphasizes understanding actual workflows, the theory of constraints shows that output depends on the slowest step and Little's law links piles of waiting work to longer delays. Copper Ridge's second shift did not raise output as planned because the labeling changeover limits the whole line. Reducing changeovers, scheduling by product family and involving operators can lift output without blaming the people who run the line.
References
Little, J. D. C. (1961). A proof for the queuing formula: L = λW. Operations Research, 9(3), 383-387. https://doi.org/10.1287/opre.9.3.383
Mabin, V. J., & Balderstone, S. J. (2003). The performance of the theory of constraints methodology: Analysis and discussion of successful TOC applications. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 23(6), 568-595. https://doi.org/10.1108/01443570310476636
Rahman, S. (1998). Theory of constraints: A review of the philosophy and its applications. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 18(4), 336-355. https://doi.org/10.1108/01443579810199720
What the LDR 309 Week 2 instructions ask
Week 2 of LDR 309 commonly asks students to examine workflow management as part of leading change. Students may be asked to map a workflow, identify bottlenecks, delays, rework and handoff problems, and recommend improvements using concepts from process management, lean or the theory of constraints. Some prompts ask how technology or new roles change the workflow. A strong paper maps the current process with data such as cycle times and queues, identifies the true constraint rather than blaming individuals, proposes changes that address the constraint and explains how employees will be involved and how results will be measured. Use scholarly sources in APA format.
How this LDR 309 Week 2 example is built
Copper Ridge added a second bottling shift expecting output to rise from 9,000 to about 16,000 cases a month, but it reached only 11,500. The paper maps the six steps from dumping barrels to palletizing cases and measures the capacity of each. A survey of business process management frames the work as designing, running and improving processes. The theory of constraints explains why output is limited by the slowest step and why improving other steps does little. The queuing relationship known as Little's law links the growing piles of filtered whiskey waiting for bottles to longer waiting times. The constraint turns out to be the label and case changeover between products, and the paper proposes changeover reduction, scheduling by product family and operator involvement.
LDR 309 Week 2 grading rubric: where the points go
Workflow papers are graded on accuracy of the process map, correct identification of the constraint and the fit of recommendations. High marks go to work that uses data on cycle times, capacity and queues, applies process concepts correctly and explains why improving non-constraint steps will not raise output. Credit goes to fixes that bring line operators into the redesign and that come with numbers to watch, such as changeover minutes and cases per shift. Connection to the broader change, such as a new shift or new technology, shows that workflow is part of leading change rather than a separate engineering exercise. A clear map or step table helps readers follow the analysis.
LDR 309 Week 2 help: mistakes to avoid
Students frequently propose improvements to every step at once, which wastes effort; output is limited by the constraint, so find it first. Another common mistake is blaming workers for slowness without measuring the process. Time each step and look at queues. Some papers draw a process map but never use it to make decisions. Use the map to locate delays and handoffs. Others recommend new equipment as the first answer, when scheduling or setup changes often deliver gains quickly and cheaply. Finally, plan how the people who run the process will help redesign it, since they usually know where time is lost.
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LDR 309 Week 2 questions, answered
What does LDR 309 Week 2 usually cover?
It usually covers workflow management as part of leading change, including mapping processes, finding bottlenecks and redesigning work to improve flow.
Where can I find a free LDR 309 Week 2 sample paper?
The Week 2 workflow analysis of a bottling line at a composite Kentucky distillery, with its constraint and redesign, is posted above.
What is the theory of constraints?
It holds that the output of any system is limited by its slowest step, so improvement should focus on finding, exploiting and elevating that constraint.
What is Little's law?
It links three quantities in any steady flow: work in the system on average equals how fast new work enters times how long each item stays, so growing piles mean longer waits.
How do you find a bottleneck in a workflow?
Measure the capacity of each step and look for where work piles up waiting; the step with the lowest capacity and the largest queue in front of it is usually the constraint.
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