Abstract
Addressing three development trends of manufacturing, this thesis aims to explore: (1) facing challenges on manufacturing (globalisation, knowledge-based manufacturing and servitisation of manufacturing), what kinds of roles does manufacturing play within industrial companies; (2) along
with the trend of globalisation, how do industrial companies develop their global manufacturing networks? These two questions are actually interlinked. On the one hand, facing increasing offshoring and outsourcing of production activities, industrial companies have to understand how to develop their global manufacturing networks. On the other hand, ongoing globalisation also brings tremendous impacts to post-industrial economies (e.g. Denmark). A dilemma therefore arises, i.e. whether it is still necessary to keep manufacturing in these post-industrial economies; if yes, what kinds of roles manufacturing should play, knowledge-based and/or servitised? These two initial research questions are further refined respectively on the basis of the literature reviews on manufacturing strategy and role, and global manufacturing network. Detailed research objectives and operationalised sub research questions are accordingly elaborated to address the identified theoretical gaps:
• Regarding manufacturing role, the first initial research question is still taken as the starting point, but specific attention is paid on: (1) exploring empirical evidence on the proactive role of manufacturing and investigate how the proactive role of manufacturing is instantiated/applied/realised in practice; (2) exploring what role the manufacturing function plays in the servitisation of companies and how that process affects the traditional focus of manufacturing strategy.
• Regarding global manufacturing network, the second initial research question is further refined and operationalised into: (1) how do plants evolve in the context of a manufacturing network? (2) how does the evolution of one plant affect other plants in the same network and how does that lead to changes of the network as a whole? Supported by 11 cases (5 cases regarding manufacturing role while 6 cases regarding global manufacturing network), above research questions are answered respectively.
with the trend of globalisation, how do industrial companies develop their global manufacturing networks? These two questions are actually interlinked. On the one hand, facing increasing offshoring and outsourcing of production activities, industrial companies have to understand how to develop their global manufacturing networks. On the other hand, ongoing globalisation also brings tremendous impacts to post-industrial economies (e.g. Denmark). A dilemma therefore arises, i.e. whether it is still necessary to keep manufacturing in these post-industrial economies; if yes, what kinds of roles manufacturing should play, knowledge-based and/or servitised? These two initial research questions are further refined respectively on the basis of the literature reviews on manufacturing strategy and role, and global manufacturing network. Detailed research objectives and operationalised sub research questions are accordingly elaborated to address the identified theoretical gaps:
• Regarding manufacturing role, the first initial research question is still taken as the starting point, but specific attention is paid on: (1) exploring empirical evidence on the proactive role of manufacturing and investigate how the proactive role of manufacturing is instantiated/applied/realised in practice; (2) exploring what role the manufacturing function plays in the servitisation of companies and how that process affects the traditional focus of manufacturing strategy.
• Regarding global manufacturing network, the second initial research question is further refined and operationalised into: (1) how do plants evolve in the context of a manufacturing network? (2) how does the evolution of one plant affect other plants in the same network and how does that lead to changes of the network as a whole? Supported by 11 cases (5 cases regarding manufacturing role while 6 cases regarding global manufacturing network), above research questions are answered respectively.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publisher | |
| Print ISBNs | 978-87-91831-41-6 |
| Publication status | Published - 2011 |