Has MRP run its course? A review of contemporary developments in planning systems

The onset of global competition in the 1970s began to change the manufacturing environment drastically. The advent of the computer created an opportunity for the developers of material requirements planning (MRP) concepts to automate many of the manual practices employed in manufacturing for acquiring and tracking of materials. This resulted in more efficient manufacturing operations in terms of labor for planning activities and better material control. Technology was expanded to include capacity planning and production schedule control. The acceptance in industry for the new “tool” was monumental and soon a new industry was born. For some time MRP allowed manufacturers to perform at higher levels of proficiency. However, the demands and expectations of the customers have continued to change and manufacturers wishing to keep pace with competition are beginning to question if MRP is still a valid tool for production planning and control. As a result new concepts have begun to emerge. These new approaches call for an abandonment of some of the foundational components of MRP.