Submitted manuscript, 183 KB, PDF document
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Theoretical development of a workload control methodology: evidence from two case studies. / Stevenson, M; Silva, C.
In: International Journal of Production Research, Vol. 46, No. 11, 2008, p. 3107-3131.Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Theoretical development of a workload control methodology: evidence from two case studies
AU - Stevenson, M
AU - Silva, C
PY - 2008
Y1 - 2008
N2 - Workload control (WLC) is a leading production planning and control (PPC) concept for manufacturing environments subjected to high levels of uncertainty, such as in the make-to-order (MTO) industry. Despite the importance of this concept, few case study applications of WLC have been presented in the literature. This paper takes advantage of a rare opportunity to explore two independent longitudinal empirical WLC projects recently undertaken in Portugal and the United Kingdom. Uniquely, the projects were conducted in parallel and both chose to incorporate the exact same influential WLC methodology in the development of a decision support system (DSS), thus providing an ideal platform for cross-case comparison. The paper focuses primarily on theoretical refinements which ultimately had to be made to the WLC methodology applied to the two cases. Reasons for the refinements can be broadly split into two groups: (1) refinements due to the time that has elapsed since the development of the original methodology; and (2) refinements due to company specific characteristics. The paper also reflects upon a number of implementation difficulties common to both case studies, providing insight into how these could be avoided in the future. Finally, eight future research challenges are presented.
AB - Workload control (WLC) is a leading production planning and control (PPC) concept for manufacturing environments subjected to high levels of uncertainty, such as in the make-to-order (MTO) industry. Despite the importance of this concept, few case study applications of WLC have been presented in the literature. This paper takes advantage of a rare opportunity to explore two independent longitudinal empirical WLC projects recently undertaken in Portugal and the United Kingdom. Uniquely, the projects were conducted in parallel and both chose to incorporate the exact same influential WLC methodology in the development of a decision support system (DSS), thus providing an ideal platform for cross-case comparison. The paper focuses primarily on theoretical refinements which ultimately had to be made to the WLC methodology applied to the two cases. Reasons for the refinements can be broadly split into two groups: (1) refinements due to the time that has elapsed since the development of the original methodology; and (2) refinements due to company specific characteristics. The paper also reflects upon a number of implementation difficulties common to both case studies, providing insight into how these could be avoided in the future. Finally, eight future research challenges are presented.
KW - Production planning and control
KW - Decision support system
KW - Case studies
KW - Workload control
KW - Product customisation
U2 - 10.1080/00207540601039791
DO - 10.1080/00207540601039791
M3 - Journal article
VL - 46
SP - 3107
EP - 3131
JO - International Journal of Production Research
JF - International Journal of Production Research
SN - 0020-7543
IS - 11
ER -