Network-based factory planning for small and medium-sized enterprises. Issue 12 (10th September 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Burggräf, Peter; Dannapfel, Matthias; Schneidermann, Dennis; Ebade Esfahani, Matthias
• Is Part Of: Production planning & control. Volume 33:Issue 12(2022)
• Page Start: 1173
• Page End: 1181
• Publication Date: 2022-09-10
• Subjects: Keywords: -- Collaboration -- factory planning -- network; Production planning -- Periodicals; Production control -- Periodicals; 658.5
• DOI: 10.1080/09537287.2020.1854885
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0953-7287

Abstract

Abstract: Many industrial sectors are currently being challenged with regard to the flexibility and adaptability of their production and control processes, which can, inter alia, be attributed to macroeconomic trends such as digitisation. These trends not only shorten product lifecycles but also lead to a greater need for redesign and transformation of production systems within factories. Since this field of factory plannin g tends to play a subordinate role in SMEs anyway, the above-mentioned factors impede an efficient execution of corresponding projects even more. While large companies are more likely to have a factory planning department, SMEs often do not have sufficient resources to meet the aforementioned challenges through independent factory planning projects. Although network-based structures could be a realistic and practical way to meet the challenges of factory planning as they generally provide possibilities for resource and risk sharing, SMEs often manifest resentments towards network collaborations. This paper aims to validate these resentments. For this purpose, a profound expert study explores whether network cooperations could overcome companies' challenges. It derives implications towards a model that enables network cooperations in factory planning.