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The passport nightmare: business process analysis in public service

Adrian Ramirez-Nafarrate (Facultad de Empresariales, Universidad Panamericana, Zapopan, Mexico)
Carlos Eduardo López-Hernández (Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales, Universidad Panamericana, Zapopan, Mexico)

Publication date: 2 July 2020

Abstract

Learning outcomes

Students should be able to: identify the elements of business processes; analyze efficiency measures; identify and define causes of poor efficiency in business process; analyze the results of a simulation model; propose process redesign alternatives based on the analysis; and acknowledge the challenges for improving public service processes.

Case overview/synopsis

The process to get a passport seems to be very simple, but Jose Hernandez, a Manufacturing Plant Director, has had bad experiences the past three times he has visited the passport office. He and his family have spent more than 3 h to get the passport for his little daughter, Maria. In this case, the authors illustrate the process analysis performed by Jose to find effective and efficient solutions to the problems that he found. The case study guides students through the analysis of a business process in public service from the perspective of the users. The students participating in the case analysis will not only learn to diagnose and describe the process but also to redesign it to achieve significant improvements. Furthermore, the students will realize that adding more resources to the process may not solve the fundamental issues, but analytical and creative skills are needed. In addition, the teaching notes provide a discussion about the existing challenges to improve public service processes.

Complexity academic level

Management and engineering undergraduate programs, operations management and business process design in Master of Business Administration programs.

Supplementary materials

Teaching Notes are available for educators only.

Subject code

CSS 9: Operations and Logistics.

Keywords

Citation

Ramirez-Nafarrate, A. and López-Hernández, C.E. (2020), "The passport nightmare: business process analysis in public service", , Vol. 10 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/EEMCS-12-2019-0338

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited

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