کمی کردن در استراتژی تولید: روش شناسی و تصویر سازی

Strategic decision-making is often based on conceptual and qualitative models. Considering the vast amount of quantitative models in the literature, it is most interesting and important to explore the possibilities to expand the modelling base for decision-making with quantitative models that can provide deeper analysis, new insights and allow for finer sensitivity analysis. The purpose of this paper is to explore various aspects of quantification in manufacturing strategy-related issues. We review current approaches to quantitative modelling and study how quantitative models are being used and can be used for strategic decision-making in manufacturing. We create a framework and methodology for quantitative modelling for manufacturing strategy, based on market requirements, manufacturing capabilities, manufacturing actions within decision categories, and quantitative modelling approach. The framework methodology includes seven stages of quantification, for the purpose of measuring, linking, comparing, and modelling. The aim of the paper is to provide a structure that can aid in the modelling of strategic manufacturing decisions to improve the capabilities to meet market requirements.

The competitive position of manufacturing firms is based on the ability to create strategic alignment between market opportunities and manufacturing capabilities. This is the foundation for manufacturing strategy. In order to support analyses and decision-making in manufacturing, the use of quantitative modelling can help understanding the current structure and to assess the consequences of proposed actions, and even to identify manufacturing-based sources of competitiveness. The manufacturing strategy domain has been and is dominated by conceptual models. On the other hand, quantitative modelling has a long history in operational research to solve real-life problems in operations management. In general, quantitative models are based on a set of variables that vary over a specific domain, while quantitative and causal relationships have been defined between these variables (Bertrand and Fransoo, 2002). In manufacturing strategy, causal relationships would be concerned with control variables relative performance variables related to market requirements such as quality, price, delivery speed and reliability, product range, customisation, and innovativeness. However, the area of manufacturing strategy is not without examples of quantitative modelling. In this paper we review various approaches to modelling manufacturing strategy structure and interactions, in search of general principles for quantitative modelling in this application area. This forms the foundation for a quantitative modelling framework and methodology that can guide manufacturing strategists in the quest to understand, control and improve manufacturing operations. This paper is organised as follows. First, we give an overview of manufacturing strategy in terms of manufacturing capabilities and decision categories. Then, we review quantitative modelling approaches in general and provide some examples for strategic manufacturing decision-making. Finally, we present the proposed framework for quantitative modelling for manufacturing strategy that provides a structural methodology for developing models.

Modelling for decision-making in manufacturing strategy is still basically concerned with conceptual models. However, quantitative models may provide new and deeper insights. In this paper we have developed a framework and a methodology for the quantification of strategic manufacturing decisions. We illustrated with examples from the literature. Four basic building blocks, i.e. measure, link, compare, and model, are used at different stages for the quantification necessary to support the manufacturing strategy process. A quantitative model for manufacturing strategy should include three dimensions, i.e. market requirements or manufacturing capabilities, decision categories (or policy areas within decision categories), and a modelling approach. We hope that this framework can aid managers in structuring strategic manufacturing decision modelling for the fundamental purpose of improving manufacturing capabilities to meet market requirements, as well as support model builders to formulate better quantitative models for manufacturing strategy.