Flexible manufacturing : integrating technological and social innovation

Part 1. Technology and Organisation (Q.H. van Breukelen, J. Boorsma, S. Brinkman, T. Kumpe, P.T. Bolwijn). Introduction. The Company: Consumer Electronics Industry. Computer-aided technologies. Quantitative consequences of using computer-aided technologies. Consequences for the structure and functioning of the company. Introduction strategies. Comparison of the present and the future situation. A vision of the future. Conclusions. Summary. 2. Flexible Production Systems (S. Brinkman). Production systems. Some of the concepts. The simulation model. Conclusions. Summary. 3. Design for Assembly (J. Boorsma). Introduction. The DFA method. Applications. The introduction of the method. Conclusions. 4. From Strategy to Operation (P.T. Bolwijn, Q.H. van Breukelen, S. Brinkman, T. Kumpe). Changed market demands. The new strategy. Implications for the technical sector. Inter-company relationships. The implementation. Summary and conclusions. 5. From Classical Moving Assembly Lines to Contemporary Continuous Flow Production (P.T. Bolwijn, T. Kumpe). Premises. Findings from factory visits. Continuous flow production. Socio-technical aspects. Business-economic aspects. Conclusions. 6. On Entrepreneurship and Industrial Spirit (T. Kumpe, P.T. Bolwijn, B. Goudswaard). Introduction. Automation and mechanisation. Bureaucracy. Career. Communication. Competition. Control systems. Customer orientation. Economies of scale. Effectiveness. Efficiency. Employment. Entrepreneurship. Flexibility. Hierarchy. Information and decision-making. Innovativeness. Japan. Management. Objectives. Organisational structure. Production. Productivity. Quality. Work. 7. Trends and Issues Toward Future Manufacturing (T. Kumpe, P.T. Bolwijn). Toward the factory of the future. Future manufacturing industry. (All parts contain references).