Introduction
British Gas (BG) supply Natural Gas to the whole of the United Kingdom. Prior to the discovery of North Sea gas they manufactured gas from other resources and then converted the entire network to burn Natural Gas when it became available. British Gas designed, installed and maintains the entire Pipeline network delivering gas to almost every Household as well as Industrial Users in the UK.
In addition to providing the gas BG also supply gas appliances and ancillary equipment which is also services and maintained by them. Large energy cost reductions were provided to Industry when Natural Gs was first introduced adding valuable competitiveness to its users.
Application of Integrated Business Control (IBC)
IBC was applied comprehensively in British Gas between 1980 and 1985 covering the work of some 30 000 employees in all Clerical and Administrative work as well as much of the manual work in Pipeline construction, service and maintenance of equipment.
British Gas made valuable contributions to the development of IBC Management data and also to the Benchmarking assignment in conjunction with Society Nationale Alitalia Metano (SNAM) the equivalent of British Gas in Italy. See below for details.
Nature of the Application
IBC was introduced to British Gas by Urwick-Orr Consulting London office and later through Price Waterhouse who took over the Urwick-Orr partnership. The SNAM assignment was also sponsored by Urwick-Orr Consulting Milano office and then later by Price Waterhouse.
The application was aimed at supplying the IBC system, and Training BG staff to apply and maintain it. BG gave wholehearted co-operation throughout this period and some 150 of the BG Organization and Method Staff were trained and became fully competent in the use of IBC. This change is not as easy as it may sound since fundamental differences exist from traditional approaches.
IBC Software was provided for each relevant subject and Methods and Target objective Performances provided to Line Managers. Through the assignment the Management led by Doug Barnes (Manager O&M) kept in close touch with related Trade Unions who were offered places on Training courses and gave unstinted support at all times. Not a single industrial dispute occurred through the application period.
British Gas (BG) supply Natural Gas to the whole of the United Kingdom. Prior to the discovery of North Sea gas they manufactured gas from other resources and then converted the entire network to burn Natural Gas when it became available. British Gas designed, installed and maintains the entire Pipeline network delivering gas to almost every Household as well as Industrial Users in the UK.
In addition to providing the gas BG also supply gas appliances and ancillary equipment which is also services and maintained by them. Large energy cost reductions were provided to Industry when Natural Gs was first introduced adding valuable competitiveness to its users.
Application of Integrated Business Control (IBC)
IBC was applied comprehensively in British Gas between 1980 and 1985 covering the work of some 30 000 employees in all Clerical and Administrative work as well as much of the manual work in Pipeline construction, service and maintenance of equipment.
British Gas made valuable contributions to the development of IBC Management data and also to the Benchmarking assignment in conjunction with Society Nationale Alitalia Metano (SNAM) the equivalent of British Gas in Italy. See below for details.
Nature of the Application
IBC was introduced to British Gas by Urwick-Orr Consulting London office and later through Price Waterhouse who took over the Urwick-Orr partnership. The SNAM assignment was also sponsored by Urwick-Orr Consulting Milano office and then later by Price Waterhouse.
The application was aimed at supplying the IBC system, and Training BG staff to apply and maintain it. BG gave wholehearted co-operation throughout this period and some 150 of the BG Organization and Method Staff were trained and became fully competent in the use of IBC. This change is not as easy as it may sound since fundamental differences exist from traditional approaches.
IBC Software was provided for each relevant subject and Methods and Target objective Performances provided to Line Managers. Through the assignment the Management led by Doug Barnes (Manager O&M) kept in close touch with related Trade Unions who were offered places on Training courses and gave unstinted support at all times. Not a single industrial dispute occurred through the application period.
British Gas - Case Study of IBC Applications