Advanced manufacturing technology adoption: an integrated approach

Abstract

Purpose

Although, the advanced manufacturing technologies (AMT) benefits and potentialities are already known, issues regarding the management process, from the planning to the implementation, represent the main barriers to the effective use of such technologies. The actual benefits of the AMT incorporation to the manufacturing system, classified as systemic, will only be obtained and recognized if the current design and organizational structure become compatible with the change being introduced. The purpose of this paper is to present the rationality for the organizational design development related to AMT adoption.

Design/methodology/approach

The developed theoretical synthesis integrates two refined and tested frameworks: the organizational design and the strategic selections of AMT. The company's manufacturing strategy, specifically the manufacturing vision, defines a set of statements, the required competences, which constitute the organizational design specifications. By approaching the AMT as resources related to the manufacturing vision competences, it could be assured the cohesion between the organizational design and the technology to be introduced. The theoretical development is illustrated by some empirical data, particularly in the cases of competences, capabilities and manufacturing vision statements formulation.

Findings

This paper is a theoretical construction that organizes and synthesizes the issues that are being studied in the main theme: “The adoption of the automated systems,” focusing the discussion on the manufacturing strategy and organizational design domains.

Research limitations/implications

The generated framework is theoretical in essence and needs to be tested, although the theoretical exercise integrates tested frameworks.

Practical implications

The understanding of the relationships between the process of AMT adoption and the required changes in the organization contribute to the attainment of the benefits related to those technologies.

Originality/value

The main value of the present paper is the theoretical exercise to generate a set of recommendations of the organizational design‐revision process. The systemic design approached used will found future research to generate practical solutions for the design process, contributing to the AMT integration to the manufacturing system.

Citation

Gouvea da Costa, S.E. and Pinheiro de Lima, E. (2009), "Advanced manufacturing technology adoption: an integrated approach", Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, Vol. 20 No. 1, pp. 74-96. https://doi.org/10.1108/17410380910925415