Suchergebnisse

Manufacturing Resources Planning (MRPII) is recognized as being an effective management system that has an excellent planning and scheduling capability which can offer a dramatic increase in customer service, significant gains in productivity, much higher inventory turns, and a greater reduction in material costs. Many companies world‐wide have attempted to implement MRPII systems. Many of them are now using MRPII with various level of satisfaction. However, failure of MRPII implementation was in fact experienced by other companies. This paper proposes an integrated system design and implementation approach to overcome the difficulties. It aims to formulate a standard process by combining strategic elements, problem definition, MRPII solutions, technical and procedural design, and implementation management in order to minimize the frustration and conflicts commonly found in MRPII implementation as well as to reduce disconnection among different stages of design and implementation. A hierarchical analysis technique using Integrated DEFinition Method (IDEF) is used to support the design and implementation management. The examples illustrated that it provides an invaluable support in the management of MRPII system.

Hong Kong has been a major entrepôt for China for decades and its intermediate role has been enhanced in recent years. With the open door policy of China, Hong Kong manufacturers have relocated extensively their low‐cost operations to the Pearl River Delta in Southern China. Under the outward processing arrangement, raw materials, components and work‐in‐progress are shipped to China for further processing and the finished products are shipped back to Hong Kong for re‐export to other countries. This mode of operation has created tremendous loads on the already congested cross‐border traffic between Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta. In order to modernize its outdated and inadequate transportation systems, China has embarked on huge infrastructure development programmes in the Pearl River Delta and other fast developing regions. Hong Kong has also launched multi‐billion‐dollar ports and airport development projects scheduled to be completed in 1997/98. On completion of these projects, the strategic position of Hong Kong as an entrepôt of Southern China will be further enhanced, despite increasing competition from neighbouring ports and airports in the medium to long term.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between product modularity (PM) and supply chain integration (SCI), and to identify factors influencing this relationship.Design/methodology/approachA case study approach involving in‐depth interviews on three modular and two non‐modular design projects in the Hong Kong and Pearl River Delta region was conducted. Within and cross‐case analyses were adopted.FindingsResults support the current view that modular design is related to a loosely coordinated supply chain, whereas integrated design is associated with a tightly coordinated supply chain. However, this relationship is affected and explained by four contingency factors: new module/component development, technological knowledge leakage and creation, project team size and supply chain efficiency.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper used a case study approach so the generalizability of the study is limited. This approach, however, enabled us to examine explicitly the relationship between PM and SCI, where empirical research was lacking. The rich content of each case suggested how and why modular design affects supply chain management.Originality/valueThe findings of this paper increase the understanding of the dynamics of modular product design and supply chain management. The paper also explores four contingency factors affecting the relationship.

PurposeWhile the beneficial impact of supply chain integration (SCI) and modular product design are generally acknowledged, few empirical studies have examined how an organization can achieve better performance through SCI with modular product design. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between SCI and modular product design, as well as their impact on product performance.Design/methodology/approachBy surveying 251 manufacturers in Hong Kong, structural equation modelling is used to test the research constructs and the hypothesized model.FindingsThe results confirm that information sharing, product co‐development and organizational coordination are crucial organizational processes within SCI. Companies that have high levels of product modularity appear to be good at product co‐development and organizational coordination directly and at information sharing indirectly. Furthermore, companies that have high levels of product co‐development or product modularity appear to have better product performance.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper theoretically and empirically identifies three specific organizational processes within SCI (information sharing, product co‐development and organizational coordination), which affect modular product design and product performance. These more specific findings were previously absent from the literature. However, the study is limited to the cross‐sectional nature of a survey study, the operationalization of SCI and product modularity, and the nature of the product types.Originality/valueThis paper empirically examines the relationships between SCI and product modularity, which has seldom been attempted in previous research. It clearly identifies exactly which processes within SCI are directly and indirectly related to product modularity.