Exploring the Process of Manufacturing Change Management

Abstract

Manufacturing systems undergo frequent changes that are challenging to manage, yet little formal theory exists to guide manufacturing change (MC) management (MCM), making it a vital area to explore. MCM requires a set of activities that must be planned and coordinated as a process. We studied the related literature (such as that on engineering change management) and, at three mature firms, empirically modeled the activities for managing MCs, the way these activities were organized and coordinated, and other process characteristics. Surprisingly, the firms struggled with effective MCM (and even with describing their own MCM practices), which turned out to be more complex than most managers expected. Exposing the complex system of work underlying the MCM process illuminated useful insights and prompted further questions, especially regarding MCM process content, specification, integration, and customization. In each of these areas, we unpack theoretical implications and key questions for further research, many pertaining to the appropriate resources that managers should invest in MCM. We also synthesize a generalized MCM process framework to serve as both a theoretical proposal and a best practice. Overall, this work provides a foundation for further research in an important, understudied area.