Market orientedness of improvement programmes in manufacturing: results from field study research

Details how to formulate improvement programmes within manufacturing, what is current practice within several companies, and how appropriate current practice is. Presents a model of the manufacturing system together with a morphological representation of the system. Uses this model to assess the configuration of the manufacturing systems of ten companies (divided into three groups) and the efforts they put into improving the performance of the system. Compares these efforts, or action programmes, with the order winning criteria and the internal performance criteria in each group. It appears that the order winning criteria and the improvement programmes are often in line. However observations suggest that the action programmes are not the result of a conscious manufacturing strategy formulation and implementation so we can speak of a strategic neglect. Distinguishes some trends in managing manufacturing which result in an incremental improvement of the performance of manufacturing systems: more quality control process awareness; the decentralization of quality control and planning processes while trying integratively to design a consistent manufacturing system; and the creation of work cells throughout the plant.