Levels

This section provides explanation about the Levels in the MINCE Maturity Model.

Levels: overview

Figure 18 – A MINCE Tower (with only levels 1 to 3)

Levels indicate the appreciation of competitiveness in relation to each of the combinations of the Tower and the full set of Criteria.

As explained elsewhere, each Tower in out MINCE castle has five Levels (a couple more than there were found for the Tower in adjecent photograph). The higher the level in a Tower we are able to reach, the better we can see who is approaching through our looking holes (Criteria).

From the first floor we will, obviously, via our Criteria-holes only notice anyone approaching as soon as the oncomer is very near. Only at that moment will the organization be able to decide whether to consider the newcomer a friend or a threat. The organization, as a result, will have little time to prepare a warm welcome of a proper defense.

This is much easier if the organization is able to check for new arrivals from higher floors. That will leave time to get prepared: prepare complex meals (friendly visitor) or put out the oil cauldrons above high fires (enemy ahead).

In MINCE we are particularly interested in the height of the top floor that we can reach. This is the Level: what is the maximum height (Level) for the five looking holes (Criteria) we will be able to reach in our Towers?

Secondly, MINCE gives a view on the perspective of the castle lord. What height will he want to be from which the workers are to look out for visitors? He will have to realize that it will not possible to add a couple of floors over night. Adding a floor in a tower requires craftsmanship, patience and dedication. It will take its toll and such things can only be speeded up to a certain degree.

The combination of a Tower and a Criterion is evaluated using MINCE and this results in an appreciation of what has been found. That is the measured Level. Next to that, there is also an ambition Level set: the level at which the organization's management team would like to be in the near future.

MINCE uses the following Levels:

1. Activities (→glossary);
2. Processes (→glossary);
3. Systems (→glossary);
4. Supply Chain (→glossary);
5. Quality (→glossary).

As you might notice, the MINCE Level is derived from the levels defined by the 2004 version of EFQM. The difference lies in the MINCE combination of Level and Tower/Criterion, which is unlike the approach of EFQM. Nevertheless the level indication suits both models.

The higher the level in MINCE (the higher the floor), the better an organization deals with the issues related to the Tower/Criterion-combination. The lower the level (the lower the floor), the worse the organization deals with these issues.

Level 1: Activities

An organization operating at Level 1, the Activities-Level, is glad if a result is accomplished. It is difficult to predict whether activities will indeed result in the product that is intended, since there are few lessons learned from past findings. Some of the employees will be able to improve their performance on the basis of their personal experience, but as there is no platform to share their knowledge with collegues, it will hardly be spread any further.

If an employee decides to advance his career elsewhere, the lessons he learned leave the company with him. Knowledge entering the company together with the more experienced new employees is not spread, so almost nobody will benefit.

Processes are rarely available in writing, the way things are done is explained via word of mouth. Since we all handle such things differently, without written descriptions, the processes are explained differently, depending on the staff member doing the talking.

Nobody really has a particular vision regarding the customer or supplier chains. We buy materials via the companies that we have become used to and we sell to companies asking for our products.

There is no particular quality goal set. We are happy with what we are producing and we stick to the way we have always done it.

Each and every working day we are focusing on the activities leading to results (products, services). We are so busy doing just that, we don't really have any time left in order to describe the processes we use, the systems we've implemented, our supplier or customer chains. We have no idea what to do with regard to quality. We hardly know what the word means.

Note that any organization not truly focusing on production related activities is not considered to be at Activities-level yet. Such organizations are off the MINCE scale.

The activity driven nature of organizations at this MINCE maturity Level allows for the greatest open minded flexibility which is particularly beneficial to creative processes. It will in the long run remain effective when there is a limited number of people and it is highly dependent on the personal skills of such a relatively small group.

Level 2: Processes

An organization operating at Level 2, the Process-Level, is aware of the processes leading to completed products. The activities are neatly described and placed in an optimum order, so that the way they lead to products can be predicted.

A process to upgrade new employees to the basic level is also in place, so that all workers, having completed an entry training, are able to start at the same knowledge level. This level however is also where things end: there is little or no structural way for employees to share their findings. Contributing to the effectiveness of the organization through the input of positive and negative experiences is poorly supported.

If an employee leaves, then the ones left behind and any newcomers will be able to take up where others left off without much difficulty. Processes are described and maintained. There is some room for personal interpretations in using the processes.

The management team is convinced that describing the processes is as important as maintaining them and they want to keep track of the improvements over time.

Procurement is handled via one of these described processes allowing some room for taking decisions that will influence the costs in a positive manner.

There is understanding of the relation between the quality and the way the working environment is set up. There is no link between the working environment and the business chain yet.

Every day employees are aiming to do their work according to the described process. In the organization there is no manpower left to set up our systems or deal with the supplier/customer chain. Our organization knows the importance of quality, bu we are not yet able to get a firm grip on that.

Note that an organization needs to have written and maintained processes in order to meet the requirements associated with the Processes Level.

The processes of organizations at this MINCE Level allow them to fairly easily change from one production sequence to another, though the output will always remain restricted to certain boundaries (a single product of a limited set of products) which is inevitable to this maturity level.

Level 3: Systems

An organization operating at Level 3, the Systems-Level, has the activities and processes in place and, on top of that, has developed a set of standard means to be used. In addition a feedback loop is in place, so that the processes and the means are continuously updated and improved.

From the employees point of view at this level they will also have the means at their disposal to produce optimized results. Because these means are subject to continuous improvements, the workers will benefit from their organization investing in both processes and systems.

New employees will need to be able to deal with such systems, as these will nog be common to all the work force that are active in the market segment. Anyone entering the organization will have to bring along a certain amount of experience to be able to adopt the systems. Experiences are shared between collegues, partly as a result of their own efforts and partly because their employer supports this knowledge spreading.

If an employee leaves, this is not a complete surprise and it is regarded a natural step in relation to his personal development. Such an employee is not considered an enemy, all of a sudden, but rather experienced as an appreciated friend with unchanged value. Newcomers will have to swiftly fit in the environment or they will be replaced.

Procurement is handled by the organization in a coherent manner, involving the personal experiences of groups of employees. The aim is to get the organization the most attractive deals. There is no exchange of benefits between the organization and its customers or suppliers in place yet.

The employees are well acquinted with the ways (activities, process and systems) used by our organization in order to achieve predefined goals. The organization competes with others in the market segment. Our sales staff struggles to get the attention of our customers. Our purchasers challenge our suppliers for attractive deals. Our employees are well aware of our internal quality and its flaws and they are working on its continuous improvement.

Note that an organization at the Systems Level will have to be on the leading edge in using the most actual systems available in their market segment.

The Systems these type of organizations use are an example to others, because of the speed with which they can adjust their production (not their products) as changes occur in the specifications of certain product ranges.