Cessna’s challenge was not unique; it illustrated a condition that has long plagued the business of aerospace: companies’ struggle against operational turmoil arising from sudden spikes and downturns in customer needs, translating to difficulty in signaling and coordinating
activities across its vast, complex string of activities.
Parts shortages are not uncommon; production delays, “traveled work” (completing work steps at subsequent stations to keep from holding up later steps), and other workarounds are normal steps that seem widely accepted as the way things work. Consider the challenge described
decades ago: