Decision‐making systems and the product‐to‐service shift
Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management
ISSN: 1741-038X
Article publication date: 5 June 2009
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is first, to provide input to the “through life knowledge and information management” grand challenge and second to provide industry with a tool for assessing the quality of the process(es) by which decisions are reached.
Design/methodology/approach
An iterative approach is used with two student‐based case studies, followed by two research institution case studies, and then two industrial case studies. Validation of the tool by managers is undertaken in another case study.
Findings
An analytic framework is created which allows managers to categorise and display the characteristics of their decision processes. By assessing the resulting voids and clusters within the framework, the efficacy of the process can be determined. The framework has an associated management process, first to enable managers to see and compare instances of other situations, especially those leading to “disaster”, and second to upgrade the tool itself as assessments are undertaken.
Research limitations/implications
The tool has been developed in a UK manufacturing environment. It has demonstrated its usefulness in the defence industry, but its wider applicability is not yet known. It requires industrialization to make it usable by managers.
Practical implications
Use of the tool has already led to significant changes to the capability development process in a major defence company, and has been used by a board in a civilian company to understand why they have cost overruns and delivery problems.
Originality/value
The paper has not discovered another, simple‐to‐use tool for the same purpose.
Keywords
Citation
Molloy, E., Siemieniuch, C. and Sinclair, M. (2009), "Decision‐making systems and the product‐to‐service shift", Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, Vol. 20 No. 5, pp. 606-625. https://doi.org/10.1108/17410380910961019
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2009, Emerald Group Publishing Limited