A process view of maintenance and its stakeholders

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe maintenance in a generic process model, in order to support an alignment of maintenance with other company internal processes aimed at fulfilling external stakeholder requirements.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed maintenance process model is based on existing theories and is illustrated by examples from a paper‐mill case study related to the maintenance of DC‐motors.

Findings

The proposed model supports a holistic view of maintenance and the alignment of the maintenance process with other company internal processes, in order to fulfil external stakeholder requirements.

Research limitations/implications

Further research could include an application of the proposed maintenance model to test its usefulness to identify stakeholders and also hazard diagnosis.

Practical implications

The importance of vertical and horizontal alignment between the maintenance process and other processes in order to achieve effectiveness and efficiency is illustrated. The model can be used to increase the understanding of the role of maintenance within a company. Thereby, the proposed process model provides valuable support for effective, efficient, and continuous risk reduction.

Originality/value

The proposed process view highlights that maintenance can contribute to the fulfilment of external stakeholders' requirements, which strengthens the proposition that maintenance should be seen as a business‐process that creates value and not as something that is a “necessary evil”.

Citation

Söderholm, P., Holmgren, M. and Klefsjö, B. (2007), "A process view of maintenance and its stakeholders", Journal of Quality in Maintenance Engineering, Vol. 13 No. 1, pp. 19-32. https://doi.org/10.1108/13552510710735096