An action research on streamlining the check payment process in Company ABC

• Main Author: Aduana, April D.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2018
• Subjects: Check collection systems; Organizational change
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/5497
• Institution: De La Salle University

The issue addressed in this action research is the late payments to vendors of Finance and Accounting Department of Company ABC. The objectives of the project were to (i) shorten the time of processing and approving of check payments from 3 days to 2 days to ensure that vendors are paid on Friday and (ii) to eliminate voided checks that were written with error. The action research project applied the Lean Six Sigma Methodology DMAIC as conceptual framework and used Lewins 3-Stage Model of Change to manage the change process. The inquiries, reflections and learnings were used as the foundation and guide to support the four steps of the action research cycles that were documented using Scheins (1999) ORJI framework. The first action research cycle introduced the new process flow and the use of web based Check writing facility to streamline the process of writing and signing checks. The results of the first cycle showed that even though the team met the objective of the project upon the implementation of the new process and check writing facility, there were still some concerns raised particularly to the reviewing of supporting documents thus a second cycle was conceived. Given the feedback of the new process, the second cycle of this action research includes additional improvement on the new process which is the collaboration of all parties involved with the use of a shared folder and virtual private network of which they are authorized to access and view digitized files that are mainly supporting documents of the request for payment. In conclusion, the interventions we made in the first and second action research cycles met the objectives of the project. The accomplishment in each stage was a product of collaboration and teamwork within the department.