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The strategic management of manufacturing networks

Marek Szwejczewski (Department of Operations Management, Cranfield School of Management, Cranfield, UK)
Michael T Sweeney (Cranfield School of Management, Cranfield, UK)
Alan Cousens (Education and Consultancy Services, Cambridge Institute for Manufacturing, Cambridge, UK)

Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management

ISSN: 1741-038X

Article publication date: 1 February 2016

2403

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is twofold; first, to investigate whether the manufacturing specializations of network plants fulfilling similar strategic plant roles (Ferdows, 1997) are common in type. Second, to examine current strategic manufacturing network management practice and develop a map of this process.

Design/methodology/approach

Three multisite manufacturing businesses participated in this case research. The first phase of the study consisted of an initial visit made to the headquarters of each firm to be briefed on its manufacturing network strategy and to collect company manufacturing performance data. Visits were then made to 11 network plants to collect site manufacturing performance data and to research the manufacturing specialization of each site and the degree of autonomy of its management team. The second phase of the research comprised a number of additional visits to the headquarters of one of the three case study firms to investigate the process employed to downsize its existing manufacturing network capacity in response to a significant decline in customer demand.

Findings

Three common types of manufacturing specialization have been identified in the networks of plants studied and the case research findings have enabled the development of a process for manufacturing network strategy deployment.

Research limitations/implications

The proposed process for the strategic management of a manufacturing network is based upon the findings of a single case study and thus the generalizability of the findings is limited.

Practical implications

Auditing the manufacturing specialization of network sites is an essential preparatory procedure for determining a manufacturing network strategy. How this information is used to facilitate the management of manufacturing network configuration and coordination and for manufacturing network strategy deployment is detailed in the paper.

Originality/value

A process map has been developed that includes a review of current network configuration and coordination policies, in combination, as these underpin manufacturing network strategy deployment. Such a process map has not been detailed previously in the literature.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the managers and employees of the three firms that collaborated with the case research and follow-up visit made and for providing the opportunity for its implementation.

Citation

Szwejczewski, M., Sweeney, M.T. and Cousens, A. (2016), "The strategic management of manufacturing networks", Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, Vol. 27 No. 1, pp. 124-149. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMTM-10-2014-0116

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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