Integration of global manufacturing networks and supply chains: a cross case comparison of six global automotive manufacturers

Striving for new business opportunities automotive original equipment manufacturers established overseas plants in emerging markets and global manufacturing networks evolved. In this regard so-called knocked down supply chains have been the key for the establishment of successful overseas operations. Importing all parts required from the original plants in form of easy to be handled kits secures a high product quality and stable supply despite lacking qualification of local workforce and supplier bases. Over time the overseas plants and global manufacturing networks have matured by increasingly taking over value adding processes and integrating local suppliers. However, the supply chain structure and management have not been adapted accordingly and still comprise high inventory buffers and lead times. There is little research on the integrated design of global manufacturing networks and knocked down supply chains. This research aims to contribute to close this research gap by means of a cross-case study with six globally operating OEMs investigating the fit of knocked down supply chains and global manufacturing networks. On the basis of transaction cost theory, we develop an integrated framework to align global manufacturing networks and knocked down supply chain design that can serve as guideline to open logistics performance and cost potentials.     

International relocation and production geography in the European automobile components sector: the case of Spain

This article, based on the various approaches to location theory, analyses relocation processes in the Spanish automobile components industry in order to explain the importance of internal factors at both corporate and production plant levels. While acknowledging that location advantages play a relevant role, we show that changes in production geography can, to a great extent, be explained by corporate strategies, other decision-making mechanisms and firms’ characteristics. The results obtained from an empirical study during the period 2001–2008 show that the search for lower labour costs and corporate restructuring in order to achieve global production efficiency are the main factors determining relocation in the Spanish sector. These processes are facilitated by the operational flexibility of the multinational firms that dominate the sector. Lean supply and technological requirements are the main barriers to such processes of production plant mobility. From the point of view of practical relevance, the article shows that these logistic and technological determinants should be considered by managers in their relocation decisions not only in terms of cost efficiency but also in terms of the risks involved in relocation processes. Any relocation project must include measures to mitigate such risks.     

Maverick picking: the impact of modifications in work schedules on manual order picking processes

Order picking, the process of retrieving items from their storage locations to fulfil customer orders, ranks among the most labour- and time-intensive processes in warehousing. Prior research in this area had a strong focus on the development of operating policies that increase the efficiency of manual order picking, for example by calculating optimal routes for the order pickers or by assigning products to storage locations. One aspect that poses a major challenge to many warehouse managers in practice has, curiously enough, remained largely unexplored by academic research: modifications in workflows (i.e. workplace deviance in a positive or negative sense) in order picking, which we define as ‘maverick picking’. The purpose of this paper is to characterise maverick picking and to study its causes, its forms of appearance and its potential impact on order picking performance. To gain insights into maverick picking, we first survey the literature to illustrate the state-of-knowledge of maverick picking. Subsequently, we report the results of a multi-case study on maverick picking and deduct a related content framework. The results of our case study support the proposition that maverick picking is highly relevant in practice and that it is a major determinant of order picking performance.     

Lean manufacturing as a high-performance work system: the case of Cochlear

This paper addresses the Special Issue call for Australian examples of innovative management systems that enable the production of successful products by drawing on a single case study: medical device manufacturer Cochlear. Through qualitative case study methodology, we examine the human resource management practices that complemented the implementation of lean manufacturing principles. We argue that in their implementation, Cochlear’s management team enriched the traditional understanding of lean and its focus on waste reduction, low cost and quality assurance by adopting people management practices as an integrated component of the overall management capability which allowed their people to grow and develop. The combination of lean and HR practices transformed Cochlear to a high-performance work system and positively impacted production processes and output. By examining a medical device manufacturer, an under-researched sector, our paper expands existing literature on lean manufacturing and provides implications for practitioners.     

OEM订单响应能力与缩短订单周期的策略研究

针对订单生产务件下,缩短订单周期是赢得顾客订单,提高市场竞争能力的重要保证,本文构造了订单生产环境下2种典型的OEM生产方式的运作框架模型.对影响OEM企业的订单响应能力的因素进行了分析,探讨了OEM订单响应能力问题,提出了缩短订单周期的几个有效策略:压缩OEM订单流程、动态OEM排产系统、合作计划、柔性生产与交货系统...     

The role of the competitive environment in studies of strategic alignment: a meta-analysis

Numerous studies in operations management have investigated alignment between business and functional level strategies. In spite of the considerable amount of research that has been conducted, little consensus exists regarding how the competitive environment affects the relationship between strategic alignment and organisational performance. In this study, we build on prior operations management research that has examined alignment by examining whether the competitive environment mediates or moderates the relationship between alignment and performance. Using meta-analytic procedures, we find evidence that the competitive environment functions as a mediator in the relationship between strategic alignment and organisational performance. The implications of our study are that researchers should carefully consider how the competitive environment may affect their results in strategic alignment studies. Results from our study also suggest that the environment is a salient contributing factor to a firm's performance and that managers need to pay close attention to its competitive environment when make strategic and operational decisions.     

Changes in manufacturing facility-, network-, and strategy-types at the Michelin North America Company from 1950 to 2014

Large manufacturing firms operate networks of facilities which they design to achieve particular manufacturing strategies. Facilities, networks and strategies are of several distinct types. The facility-, network- and strategy-types used by a firm depend on the competitive environment in which a firm operates. This paper examines the facility-, network- and strategy-types used by the Michelin North America Company during the period from 1950 to 2014. The examination shows how three changes in the competitive environment (changes in tariffs and government industrial policy, the 1964 Canada – United States Automotive Trade Agreement, and the 1996 North American Free Trade Agreement) triggered significant changes in these types. The examination produces insights into categorisations of facility-, network- and strategy-types that are useful for understanding how large firms operate, how we can predict what changes large firms will make to their facilities, network and strategy and how stakeholders such as employees, suppliers and governments can manage the risks of working with large firms.     

Towards greater understanding of success and survival of lean systems

The purposes of this research are to remove some of the confusion surrounding the characterisation of lean systems; to delve deeper into the human issues associated with lean; and to explore the complexity of an established lean system to identify issues which affect its success and ongoing continuance. Using the mixed methods of literature analysis, semi-structured interviews and document analysis, we examine the lean implementation in one site of an international car manufacturer. We claim several contributions for the work. First, we produce a literature-based taxonomy defining the core dimensions of lean – this gives managers a clear roadmap for lean implementation. A second contribution is a detailed delineation of the human issues of lean, from which managers can follow our set of themes to guide their managerial efforts. Finally, we provide insights into the inner workings of a lean system showing several examples of the delicate balances and tensions which exist. Perhaps none is as significant as the issue of its long term survival, which our findings suggest may be at risk. This serves as a warning signal to managers to be on constant lookout for signs of faltering or failure.     

The significance of organizational change management for sustainable competitiveness in manufacturing: exploring the firm archetypes

The successful development and deployment of adequate sustainable manufacturing strategies are still open issues and of utmost interest for research and practice. Guided by this particular challenge, we investigate the significance of organisational change management for sustainable competitiveness in manufacturing. By using six case studies from the Lombardia region in Italy and basing our research on the theoretical constructs of competitive aggressiveness and organisational change, we discover four archetypes of companies that show an increasing sustainable competitiveness with an increasing formalism and persistence in organisational change. Our findings suggest that change management practices are conditional hypothesis for creating competitive advantage through sustainability, and implementation gaps do hinder companies in realising the full potential. The study offers guidance to stakeholders, on how change management actions may potentially affect company performance in the manufacturing sector, as well as providing direction on the impact improved planning and leadership instances can have on the sustainability performance.     

Self-reinforcing mechanisms for cellularisation: a longitudinal case study

Firms that adopt cellular manufacturing (CM) often need to restructure their products, personnel, equipment, factory management and organisation culture. Despite voluminous literature on CM, only a few case studies related to cellularisation exist. Therefore, to enhance understanding in this area, this paper presents a longitudinal case study on cellularisation in an electronic assembly plant. Six years of data were collected from the observations and discussions of an industrialist and an academician. Events instrumental to the persistence of CM were highlighted, with reference to path dependence analysis. Cellularisation is not entirely evolutionary or teleological but is an interplay of the two; it is significantly influenced by the positive feedback of self-reinforcing mechanisms after departing from critical junctures. The observed self-reinforcing mechanisms were expounded and divided into six categories.     

The fit between capabilities and priorities and its impact on performance improvement: revisiting and extending the theory of production competence

This paper revisits and extends the theory of production competence, which has received wide attention in the operations and production management literature. As such, considering the aspects of quality, delivery, flexibility, and cost, we develop two novel measures that assess the concept of production competence, which is conceptualised as the fit between production and operations management (POM) capabilities and production and operations management priorities. Inherent to both measures is their multi-dimensional conceptualisation of POM capabilities. We then investigate the influence of the production competence measures on the improvement in plant productivity and plant responsiveness, which are more immediate outcomes compared with what had been utilised in prior production competence research. Furthermore, we investigate a range of control variables, an omission in most extant production competence research. We assess the relationship based on data collected recently in a large-scale, multi-national survey encompassing a multitude of industries. Results consistently confirm the impact of the production competence measures on plant-productivity improvement, and partially support the relationship to the improvement in plant responsiveness. The importance of this research is emphasised by the fundamental nature of the theory of production competence to the field of production research, and by limitations in prior studies examining this concept. Most notably, the current research contributes to the theory of production competence by its investigation with two novel measures among a dataset that is much more recent and global in scope compared with prior studies. Our investigation thus contributes to the generalizability of the theory of production competence. Implications for practitioners and academics studying production research are provided.     

化学工业绿色制造产业链接技术和发展方向探析

"十三五"以来,我国化学工业的绿色发展取得了显著进步,在产品产量提高的同时,资源消耗、能源消耗、污染排放均实现了大幅减少。绿色制造是当前我国实现可持续发展的必要途径。要实现化学工业的绿色发展,除了要关注化工行业自身的绿色制造,还要关注化工产业与其他行业、与社会进行产业链接时的绿色协调发展。本文在对我国化学工业绿色发展现状进行分析的基础上,给出我国化工行业绿色发展的方向,提出化学工业绿色制造产业链接的关键技术,并通过五个企业案例进行典型模式分析。     

The changing geography and ownership of value creation: evidence from mobile telecommunications

Through an innovative trade-in-task case study, we explore how Nokia, which is historically one of the most important mobile phone manufacturers in the world, offshored the development and production of three distinct mobile phones at three different points in time. Adjacent to these processes, we find that the value creation in areas such as design and manufacturing knowledge has rapidly shifted away from advanced economies to emerging economies. Moreover, we find that the value added captured by Nokia decreased dramatically over the studied time period. Based on our results, we uss more generally the challenge of multinational corporations to preserve value and how the realisation of the benefits of offshoring must be assessed with respect to the altered requirements for controlling value-adding activities.     

A framework for the role of warehousing in Reverse Logistics

Reverse Logistics (RL) is the process of returning products from their consumer destination to capture their value or proper disposal. This paper considers and analyses the current state of literature in warehousing. Warehousing, which is an operational factor in RL, has been analysed and evaluated in terms of the specific subfactors associated with it. The research methodology used was exploratory case study research. The qualitative data were collected by use of two in-depth case studies chosen from two different industries. The analysis of the case studies resulted in the development of warehousing subfactors, propositions and insights regarding RL operations. Based on these, a framework for effective design and implementation of RL operations is provided. This framework determines the appropriate warehousing subfactors and how the return process of products/parts works. In conclusion, the managerial implications and future research directions are provided.     

Lean,Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma: an analysis based on operations strategy

There is a growing need for operations management models that contribute to the continuous improvement of company processes, among them we highlight lean manufacturing, Six Sigma and, more recently, Lean Six Sigma (LSS). This article aims (1) to identify and analyse the differences and complementarities in the production decision areas for each one of the three models; (2) to identify the competitive priorities that lead to the best performance as a result of policies followed in the decision areas as a result of the adopted model. First, a theoretical conceptual model was developed based on a review of the literature, followed by a exploratory research questions applied to manufacturing companies that use the lean, Six Sigma or LSS manufacturing models in southern Brazil. The main results show that there are differences in the models in relation to the importance of the decision areas and the performance achieved in the competitive priorities. Individually, lean manufacturing, Six Sigma and LSS have varying degrees of importance in the Facilities, Vertical Integration and Production Planning and Control decision areas. The performance dimensions with the best performance are speed, quality, reliability and cost.     

BTO的实施策略与流程设计

按顾客订单生产(Build-to-Order,BTO)是破除大量生产弊端、提高顾客服务水平的新型运作战略,但其成功推行尚缺乏理论指导和成熟经验供借鉴.以一家大型客车制造企业为对象,通过现场实证调查方法,深入研究了采用按订单生产模式所需要的实施策略和流程设计要点,并阐述了相应的管理涵义.调查结果和分析结论有助于企业运作模式转型与订单履行策略的选择决策.     

Beyond the trade-off and cumulative capabilities models: alternative models of operations strategy

Organisations are expected to develop sound strategies relating to their core operations capabilities of cost efficiency, quality, delivery, flexibility and innovation, to gain and maintain competitive advantage. However, there is a paucity of specific models that can be used to explain and predict how organisations combine and use these capabilities. Previous research has primarily focused on the ‘trade-off’ and the ‘cumulative capabilities’ models. In this study, data from an international sample of 1438 manufacturing plants are used to explore other models that organisations are using in addition to the two predominant models. This analysis shows that, in practice, the trade-off model is not used, but the cumulative capabilities model is used extensively. Further, our proposed new models, the ‘threshold’, ‘average’ and ‘multiple’, are prevalent in many plants. Also, a small proportion of the plants have in place the ‘uncompetitive’ model. In terms of relative effectiveness, there are no significant differences between the models with respect to several measures of operational performance. Overall, this study provides empirical evidence that there are other operations strategy models beyond the trade-off and cumulative capabilities dichotomy that organisations deploy.     

Additive manufacturing management: a review and future research agenda

Based on the phenomenal changes that additive manufacturing (AM) has brought to industries and markets, managerial approaches should be re-examined and developed to take advantage of emerging opportunities. This revolutionary technology is dramatically changing business and innovation models, shrinking supply chains and altering the global economy. For example, 3D printing shifts production locations closer to customers and leads to free-form product design as well as sustainable manufacturing. Several studies have been conducted on AM technology, but the research stream on AM management is still developing, with studies dispersed in journals across different research areas. Our study presents both systematic and quantitative analyses of the literature, including co-citation analysis, factor analysis and multidimensional scaling, to explore the structure of the AM research domains in the scope of management, business and economics. We found eight main research streams: AM technology selection, supply chain, product design and production cost models, environmental aspects, strategic challenges, manufacturing systems, open-source innovation and business models and economics. Finally, based on the results of our in-depth analysis of the literature, we found nine promising future research directions.