3 research outputs found
Integrating the automotive supply chain: where are we now?
Real world supply chains differ not only in their current standard of performance, but also in the most effective actions required to move each towards world class supply. A generic approach for the identification of the appropriate re-engineering programmes based on the uncertainty circle principle is presented. A total of 20 European automotive supply chains have been analysed via a “quick scan” audit procedure. The output is a clear portrayal of the present “health status” of those supply chains. Some 10 per cent of these are performing at the present day level of “best practice”, with a further 20 per cent within sight of this goal. Specific re-engineering requirements are identified for the remaining 70 per cent dependent on present maturity levels
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BPR initiatives: The impacts of IT and organisational customs and practices
This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University, 28/02/2002.This research is designed to investigate the relationship between IT and Organisational customs and practices in Business Process Reengineering (BPR) projects based on a research framework, which consists of organisational culture, IT and the outcome of BPR initiatives together with the inextricable interdependence between them. The focus is on developing a process oriented, context-based description and explanation of the BPR phenomenon in Arab Gulf Cooperation Council (AGCC) countries. The study strives to describe and explain the process of adopting and implementing BPR initiatives in petrochemical and utilities industries in AGCC countries in terms of interaction of contextual conditions, actions and consequences. The research methodology of this thesis focuses on the pragmatics of conducting case studies as a rigorous and effective method of research. The study emphasises on conducting positivist inquiry of three case studies' data to deductively test the researcher's understanding on BPR and her assumptions of 'Blueprints' for successful BPR in AGCC countries. Two of the case studies organisations are sister companies operating in the oil and gas industry, whereas the third case study organisation is a utility company operating in the field of water and electricity generation and supply. This study resulted in a framework that could serve as a prescription to achieve a successful BPR initiative. It has identified a number of organisational elements that emphasised the necessity to pay attention to cultural and IT issues prior to undertaking BPR projects. These include the development of strategy and sound stimuli for the project, the availability of leadership, top management vision, availability of required skills and expertise and the maturity of the IT infrastructure. In addition, the study has empirically emphasised a number of BPR project implementation elements that should be in place to ensure successful implementation and management of the project including: the availability of an appropriately composed project team, continuous communication, users' involvement and usage of communication technologies
A decision model for manufacturing best practice adoption : linking practices to competitive strategies
This thesis describes research that has developed a decision model for the analytical selection of manufacturing best practices. The competitiveness and growth in the manufacturing sector is critical for Singapore economy. Design and improvement of manufacturing systems is imperative to sustain the competitiveness of manufacturing organisations in the country. It is common for companies to adopt manufacturing best practices in this design process to emulate the success and performance of their counterparts. However, practices should be adapted to the competitive environment and strategy of the company to yield the desired results. Therefore, linkages between best practices and their associated competitive priorities will present useful guidelines for action to help manufacturing organisations achieve superior performance. The research programme has set out to define a decision model for best practice adoption. A broad taxonomy of manufacturing strategies and concepts has been used to identify and cluster a list of popular best practices commonly adopted. The decision framework for best practice adoption process is then formulated and a preliminary decision model constructed. This model is verified through semistructured interviews with industry and academic experts. Validation of model is conducted via case study research on eight manufacturing organisations. Linkages between practices and competitive strategies are then constructed to establish the final decision model. Finally, this decision model is illustrated in the form of a guidebook to help practitioner in the best practice selection process. This research has bridged the fields of manufacturing strategy and best practice research by establishing a comprehensive taxonomy of manufacturing strategies and concepts to classify the popular and commonly adopted best practices. A decision model that links best practices to competitive strategies has been developed to select the most appropriate practices for an environment. Thus, the work presented in this thesis has made a significant and original contribution to knowledge on the provision of analytical decision support for practitioners engaging in the manufacturing best practice adoption process.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo