Entropy of complex manufacturing networks as a metric of flexibility

2021 ◽  
pp. 100285
Author(s):  
Yamila M. Omar ◽  
Peter Plapper
Keyword(s):  
Manufacturing Networks

scholarly journals Beyond “Industry 4.0”

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. e021009
Author(s):  
Florian Butollo ◽  
Lea Schneidemesser
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Production Technology ◽  
Trade Union ◽  
Cost Reduction ◽  
Industry 4.0 ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Competitive Pressure ◽  
Manufacturing Networks ◽  
The One ◽  
Flexible Specialisation

The “Industry 4.0” paradigm is present in the strategy of governments, employers' associations and trade union federations. Revisiting Piore and Sabel's classic study on flexible specialisation, we criticise the one-sidedness and narrowness inherent in the discourse of Industry 4.0, to which we counter empirical analyses on decentralised factory networks. Contrary to the prevailing stylised account, flexibility is facilitated by “B2B” platforms that link manufacturers and customers – a model that relies more on the versatility of decentralised manufacturing networks than on sophisticated production technology. The effects on labour are ambivalent, as they involve both potential for a small-scale, skilled-labour-intensive manufacturing paradigm, and dangers arising from competitive pressure for cost reduction. In sum, our aim is to offer theoretical and empirical evidence for understanding changes in digitised manufacturing and to highlight the approach of “B2B” networks and platforms in the debate on the transformation of manufacturing and industrial work.

An empirical examination of the relationship between globalization, integration and sustainable innovation within manufacturing networks

2018 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 874-894 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruggero Golini ◽  
Jury Gualandris
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Operations Management ◽  
Empirical Examination ◽  
Sustainable Practices ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Manufacturing Plants ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Manufacturing Networks ◽  
Plant Level ◽  
Manufacturing Network

Purpose While controlling for supply chain effects, the purpose of this paper is to investigate if globalization and collaborative integration within a firm-wide manufacturing network have significant implications for the adoption of sustainable production (SP) and sustainable sourcing (SS) practices at the plant level. Design/methodology/approach The authors conceptualize SP and SS as process innovations with moderate degrees of innovativeness and apply “Organizational integration and process innovation” theory to build our conceptual model. Then, the authors use primary survey data from 471 assembly manufacturing plants operating in the US, Europe and Asia to test our hypotheses rigorously. Findings This research finds that the adoption of SP practices at the plant level is significantly and positively associated with globalization and integration of the firm-wide manufacturing network. On the contrary, the adoption of SS practices is more strongly affected by integration in the external supply chain and benefits from the manufacturing network only indirectly, through the association with SP practices. Originality/value Operations management literature devoted to sustainability has studied sustainable practices mostly from a risk management angle. Also, there exists contrasting evidence in the operations strategy literature about the positive and negative effects that globalization of a manufacturing network may have on the adoption of sustainable practices at the plant level. Moreover, several studies show how integration with supply chain partners helps manufacturing plants transition into more SP and SS practices; however, related literatures have neglected that collaborative integration within a firm-wide manufacturing network may also help to develop, or adapt to, new sustainable practices. This research represents a first attempt to resolve discordance and unveil the positive effects that manufacturing networks may have on sustainable innovations at the plant level.

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