Supply chain integration systems by small engineering to order companies: The challenge of implementation
Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management
ISSN: 1741-038X
Article publication date: 1 January 2010
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop a model for overcoming the key barriers to the implementation of supply chain integration systems by small engineering to order (ETO) companies.
Design/methodology/approach
Qualitative data from three in‐depth case studies are collected. The three case studies are small UK ETO companies, i.e. manufacturing companies that customise generic product types to meet specific customer requirements and only make these to order.
Findings
The paper identifies three key barriers: management awareness of the benefits and implementation challenges of these systems, perceived risk to the business and to information security and intensity of skills needed for their successful implementation. The paper proposes an iterative model that aims at overcoming these barriers.
Research limitations/implications
The authors apply the knowledge on technology adoption in the context of small ETO companies to explain the apparent lack of implementation of supply chain integration systems by small ETO organisations; and propose a model to overcome these barriers. The main limitation is the lack of full validation of our model. Although this model has been presented and discussed the with case study companies, it has not been fully implemented yet. A full implementation and subsequent review would provide unequivocal validation.
Practical implications
The paper presents a model for overcoming the key barriers of implementation of supply chain integration systems by small ETO companies. Managers and consultants that aim at implementing such systems can use this model prior to implementation to reduce the potential impact of these barriers on the implementation.
Originality/value
There are two contributions of this paper. The first is the explanation of the barriers that inhibit the implementations of supply chain integration systems by small ETO companies. The second is the development of the model for overcoming these.
Keywords
Citation
Tsinopoulos, C. and Bell, K. (2010), "Supply chain integration systems by small engineering to order companies: The challenge of implementation", Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, Vol. 21 No. 1, pp. 50-62. https://doi.org/10.1108/17410381011011489
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2010, Emerald Group Publishing Limited