Implementing new production management modes — Orchestration of simultaneous improvement activities

Abstract

This paper represents an attempt to shed light on an important issue for development of production management, namely the orchestration of individual development projects and initiatives of different types necessary for achieving an overall significantly improved performance. The paper will first introduce three approaches to development initiatives: (1) cross-functional development, (2) functional development, and (3) local development. Then incremental and innovative changes will be discussed and a more differentiated classification will be proposed. This provides a framework for modeling different development processes which will be illustrated by means of two case examples. In addition, the results of a Danish survey on continuous improvements will be related to the three types of initiatives. Tentative theoretical and practical implications will be outlined