چهار نوع نوآوری در فرایندهای تولیدی و مسائل مدیریتی مرتبط با آن

Manufacturing process innovation (MPI), an organization-wide effort involving radical redesign of manufacturing related processes and systems to achieve dramatic improvements in critical manufacturing performance measures, encompasses various kinds of activities. Some MPI initiatives focus on technological innovation and others may intend to change work processes and organizations’ behavioral routines. Some organizations adopt new technological solutions or work methods that are externally available, while others may develop and adopt novel technologies or organizational routines which are new to the state of the art. Different focus in MPI initiatives requires different approaches and preconditions for achieving desired outcomes. However, MPI has been mostly treated as one type of innovation in literature and further classifications of MPI have not been made. This paper presents four types of MPI and discusses what managers can expect and prepare for each type of MPI. Basic strategic directions in terms of what type of MPI can be conducted at a specific organization is also discussed. The four types of MPI is developed through a literature review of various research fields, for instance manufacturing strategy, process innovation, organizational innovation, typology of innovation, and new product development.

Severe competition in a global arena requires manufacturing companies to continuously develop their manufacturing functions for greater efficiency and speed. Moreover, in a business environment characterized by fast-paced change, it is hard for manufacturing functions to sustain operational competitiveness as long as the speed of improvements is moderate. The functions must have a capacity to undertake large-scale improvements of a radical and innovative nature, as a complement to incremental improvements. This paper features innovation in manufacturing related processes that is referred to as manufacturing process innovation (MPI). MPI encompasses a wide range of activities. Some MPI initiatives focus on technological innovation, for instance adopting new technologies or installing new pieces of equipment at factories. Some other MPI initiatives may involve changing work processes, material and information flows, or behavioral routines in factories. In MPI, a manufacturing organization may adopt new technological solutions or work methods that are externally available, or it may develop and install novel technologies or work routines which are new to the industry. Different types of MPI exist, and the different types may require different approaches and preconditions in order for an organization to achieve desired outcomes in MPI. Although a number of researchers have discussed typologies of innovation in literature [1, 2], they have not paid much attention to different types of MPI, nor have they discussed what approaches and preconditions can be needed to achieve different types of MPI.The purpose of this paper is to propose types of MPI and to discuss possible approaches and important factors that managers need to consider for each type of MPI. A basic strategic direction in terms of what type of MPI can be conducted in a specific manufacturing organization is also discussed. The types of MPI have been developed through a literature review of research fields such as manufacturing strategy, process innovation, organizational innovation, and innovation anagement.

This paper has proposed a model of four types of MPI. MPI encompasses a wide range of activities from technological innovations to major changes of work processes and cultural changes of an organization.Although researchers have discussed different typologies of innovation in literature, MPI has been classified as one type of innovation among other types and further classifications within MPI have not been made. The proposed model helps to understand different kinds of MPI in a more structured way. Another benefit of the typology of MPI is that academics can narrow their focus on a specific type of MPI and investigate the relationship between organizational variables and a specific type of MPI.It should be noted that generally a typology of innovation has innate problems arising from the fact that no innovation is isolated, and that an innovation of one type is likely to be associated with other types of innovation [1]. The classifications in the proposed model are conceptual. In reality a MPI initiative can be categorized into one or more of MPI types but is likely to include some aspects of other types in smaller degree.This paper has also discussed possible approaches and important factors that need to be considered for each type of MPI. Although the discussion has been at a generic level, the discussion can help practitioners to consider what to expect and prepare when conducting different types of MPI.Finally, the study presented in this paper has found that limited knowledge has been accumulated on the types of MPI related to radical innovation. More work can be conducted in the areas related to these types of MPI.