Resumen de A Strategic Platform for Reconfigurability: Interconnections Between Reconfigurable Technology, JIT, TQM, HR, TPM, and Responsiveness
The present dissertation addresses the topic of reconfigurability from the paradigm of High-Performance Manufacturing (HPM). It especially focuses on the interconnections between production programs (i.e.., technology management, manufacturing strategy, reconfigurable technology, JIT, TQM, HR and TPM), and their effects on multidimensional operational performance (included, but not limited to responsiveness) of manufacturing plants. We call production programs to sets of common production practices that have become the standard way of doing things and are composed of methods, technologies, capabilities, initiatives, and techniques preferred by manufacturers and managers because their outcomes are more efficient and effective than any other alternative. The focus of this research is three-fold: (1) the impact of technology management and manufacturing strategy on performance, especially responsiveness; (2) flexibility as a basis for reconfigurability, which is provided by interconnections among manufacturing strategy with a structured decision-making approach for technology management and other production programs such as JIT, TQM, HR and TPM, and how these enhance performance in terms of cost, quality and responsiveness; and (3) achieving plant responsiveness from reconfigurable technology, manufacturing strategy and technology management linkage and the intervening role of SCM between such linkage and responsiveness Hence, it is intended to facilitate that, both the Spanish industry as well as the international industry, can make the transition to reconfigurability, considering technological systems such as Reconfigurable Manufacturing System (RMS), which can enhance a company's technological ability to respond to market requirements by quickly adjusting production capacity and functionality reconfiguring its products and processes. To do so, the starting point is the consideration of today flexibility environments as a platform for the implementation of technological "reconfigurability". Persistent crises and the dynamism of the global business environment encourage companies to make constant changes to adapt to changing requirements of markets. Given that the RMSs, which provide the functionality and capacity needed at any time, are being developed so that plants can adapt quickly to changes in market requirements, interest in the RMS, especially its potential effect on competitiveness, is increasing. However, RMS research has a narrow focus, particularly since it is being considered as a physical competitive resource. Moreover, there seems not to be stablished the basis in production and operations for the proposition that the RMSs could have a competitive value as part of a holistic structure within factories. Studies pay little or no attention into the interconnections of production programs that would be involved in the possible adoption of RMSs. In addition, existing research does not pay enough attention to the multidimensional nature of competitiveness. However, ahead of the market crisis, manufacturers may be looking for competitiveness through greater responsiveness to indeterminate and sudden changes. Thus, there must be room for RMSs, especially in contexts where flexibility (e.g., it may be derived from manufacturing strategy and technology, among other production programs) may be currently playing a key role. However, if the RMS is the next step toward competitiveness in flexibility, these RMSs must be connected to the production programs which are currently being implemented in plants. Accordingly, the foundation that will guide this thesis is the following proposition: Is it possible, and not improbable, that there are plants exceeding their competitors simultaneously both on responsiveness as well as on various measures of performance such as cost, quality, flexibility, etc. (these plants will be identified as high performers), adjusting to changing requirements of the market through production programs in environments of flexibility, especially in aspects related to technology and manufacturing strategy? To verify this proposition, the overall objective is to investigate how manufacturing plants make use of different manufacturing practices and/or their programs to develop certain sets of flexibility capabilities (as a platform for reconfigurability), or even sets of reconfigurability, with the “ultimate” goal of adjusting to market requirements. This aims to increase the understanding of the role of production and operations, as well as its immediate impact on manufacturing competitiveness. Following the overall research objective, three areas are identified to be of particular interest to investigate: (1) relationships among responsiveness and other different dimensions of operational performance; (2) the way responsiveness and other different performance dimensions are affected by certain manufacturing practices and/ or their programs; and (3) whether there are contingencies that may help explain the relationships between dimensions of flexible or reconfigurable capabilities or the effects of manufacturing practices or their programs toward operational performance. This leads out to a number of sub objectives: (i) to perform an analytical review of the research on the relationship between high performance programs (e.g. JIT, TQM, etc.) and their practices, with particular attention to performance in responsiveness, as an integrative framework; (ii) to establish if there are aspects and practices of technology and manufacturing strategy that influence different dimensions of performance, especially in responsiveness; and (iii) to check if the levels of implementation of production programs related to flexibility (e.g. JIT, TQM, etc.) are connected with competitiveness (that is, to assess whether they are necessary for high performance). The empirical elements from the present research were constructed as part of the data from the Spanish High-Performance Manufacturing (HPM) project, which in turn is part of an international project, involving three industries and different countries from around the world (with research groups of different specialties from 21 countries in three different geographic areas: America, Asia, and Europe). This thesis contributes to several insights to the areas of reconfigurability (e.g., reconfigurable technology, market enablers, among others), flexibility, technology, manufacturing strategy, as well as to practitioners and academics in production and operations. The research develops measurements for and evaluates the effects of several manufacturing practices and their programs on operational performance. The results are aimed at providing guidance for decision making in manufacturing plants. The different frameworks present a contribution to both theory and practice. They offer novel insights into the programs and production practices involved in transitioning from flexibility to reconfigurability in the pursuit of responsiveness and provide a basis for future research. Some of the most prominent implications for researchers to consider, when studying production and operations, are threefold: (1) the manifestation of responsiveness as one of the most important competitive dimension; (2) plants should consider the joint implementation of production programs (and their practices), since their interdependencies may affect competitiveness, outweighing the possible differences between industries in which plants operate; and (3) the research confirms not only the importance of practice linkages that do not only include technology as the launch pad for reconfigurability, but also that in their pursuit of responsiveness it is vital for plants to implement practices in the technology programs as well as to link them to organizational programs.
