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Exploring maintenance strategies in Chinese product manufacturing companies

Heiko Gebauer (Institute of Technology Management, University of St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland)
Felix Pützr (Institute of Technology Management, University of St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland)
Thomas Fischer (Institute of Technology Management, University of St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland)
Chunzhi Wang (Economics and Management School, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun City, People's Republic of China)
Jie Lin (Economics and Management School, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun City, People's Republic of China)

Management Research News

ISSN: 0140-9174

Article publication date: 3 October 2008

1405

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore maintenance strategies for manufacturing equipment in Chinese firms.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from Chinese companies using a questionnaire administered during face‐to‐face interviews and two established methodologies in strategic management research, exploratory factor analysis and cluster analysis, were used to analyze the data.

Findings

The results suggest that despite increasing competitive capabilities of Chinese firms, their maintenance strategies are often restricted to corrective maintenance. Only very few Chinese firms have already implemented predictive maintenance approach, total productive maintenance programs or the strategic outsourcing of maintenance activities.

Research limitations/implications

The research limitations stem from typical issues related to the use of exploratory factor analysis and cluster analysis (for example reliance on the subjective judgment of the researcher or the provision of clusters although no meaningful groups are embedded in the sample).

Practical implications

The findings highlight potential strategies for Chinese firms to improve their maintenance management.

Originality/value

This paper deals with a neglected area of operations management by exploring the maintenance approaches in fast growing Chinese manufacturing industries.

Keywords

Citation

Gebauer, H., Pützr, F., Fischer, T., Wang, C. and Lin, J. (2008), "Exploring maintenance strategies in Chinese product manufacturing companies", Management Research News, Vol. 31 No. 12, pp. 941-950. https://doi.org/10.1108/01409170810920648

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2008, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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