Zippy Cola is a multinational soft drink manufacturer. The Australian plant, located at Doveton, in Victoria, is currently attempting to improve its performance through benchmarking activities. The best performing plant in the Zippy Cola group is located in Seattle, in the USA. The general manager of the Doveton plant has approved a benchmarking visit to the Seattle plant by a team of employees. The benchmarking team consists of the manufacturing manager, two manufacturing team leaders, a member of a third manufacturing team and the plant's human resources manager. The functions that the benchmarking team has identified for study include employment contracts, the operation of self-managed teams in manufacturing and the processes that have resulted in high safety performance and short cycle times at the Seattle plant.

Required:

1. What type of benchmarking is the Doveton plant planning to undertake? (4 marks)

2. Explain the advantages and limitations of this form of benchmarking. (6 marks)