A method to align functionalities of a manufacturing execution system with competitive priorities
Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management
ISSN: 1741-038X
Article publication date: 12 August 2019
Issue publication date: 13 March 2020
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to align the implementation of the manufacturing execution systems (MES) functionalities with the manufacturing competitive dimensions of two companies of the metal-mechanics industry.
Design/methodology/approach
The research object comprises two Brazilian manufacturers that use MES. The research method is quantitative modeling. A literature review organized 24 functionalities of MES. The study prioritized the functionalities and the manufacturing competitive dimensions, evaluated the contribution and the quality of the implementation and classified the functionalities.
Findings
Two functionalities in the first and five in the second case have high contribution and quality. Three functionalities in the first and six in the second case have low contribution and quality. The first group should be more explored and updated. The second should be discontinued. The rest has intermediate graduations and should be studied case-by-case. The main contribution of the paper is the method, which can be replicated in other applications in the same or in other industries.
Research limitations/implications
The study relies on two case studies of the same industry. Further research shall encompass the entire industry and cases in industries others than the metal-mechanics.
Practical implications
MES users and vendors may benefit from the study as they can apply the method to align the implementation with the manufacturing strategy and therefore enhance the effectivity of the system.
Originality/value
The authors did not find a study that associates the performance or the contribution of the MES functionalities to the competitive priorities with the quality, integrity or consistency of the implementation.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the research. The studied was entirely funded, from the theoretical background to the field stages, by CNPq, the Brazilian research agency, under the Grant No. 303574/2016-0 and by CAPES, the Brazilian agency for support and evaluation of graduate education.
Citation
Sellitto, M.A. and Vargas, E.J.d. (2020), "A method to align functionalities of a manufacturing execution system with competitive priorities", Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, Vol. 31 No. 2, pp. 353-369. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMTM-11-2018-0424
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited