Extending group technology to the identification and the analysis of enterprises networks

This paper proposes a practical tool for the identification and analysis of industrial networks among a set of enterprises already linked by trade relationships. The methodology extends the group technology (GT) and the production flow analysis (PFA) approach, widely applied in organising the production inside industrial plants. The main advantage of this approach is the small set of data needed to get a feasible solution. An heuristic procedure, sketched at several degrees of analysis, allows not only the identification of the industrial network, but also, with the contribution of other analytical and theoretical studies, the exploitation of potential or existing organisational structure. If properly supported by other studies covering remaining aspects (social, political) of industrial organisation, the tool could be practically useful in recognising possible improvements in the organisation of a given set of enterprises, or also could be used as an investigation instrument for public bodies in exploiting existing or hidden potential industrial networks.