Title: Implementation of Corporate Production Systems in the Brazilian auto industry: managing knowledge through practice

Authors: Dario Ikuo Miyake, Davi Nakano

Addresses: Production Engineering Department, Escola Politecnica, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Av. Prof. Almeida Prado trav. 2, no. 128, Cidade Universitaria, CEP 05508-970, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil. ' Production Engineering Department, Escola Politecnica, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Av. Prof. Almeida Prado trav. 2, no. 128, Cidade Universitaria, CEP 05508-970, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil

Abstract: This paper discusses, from a Knowledge Management perspective, how leading automakers and autopart suppliers are struggling to reinforce competitiveness, by conceiving and deploying their proper Corporate Production System (CPS) as a means to drive the revamping of manufacturing operations. Based on the investigation of exemplary cases, the paper examines the adoption of such prescriptive systems, focusing on the process of its company-wide implementation, and finds that this process becomes a strong learning mechanism. As the CPS elements are replicated and incorporated in the company practice, this approach leverages performance by nurturing the |knowledge-as-action| perspective and ultimately provides a source of dynamic capability.

Keywords: automotive knowledge management; KM; automotive manufacturing; corporate production systems; lean production; knowledge-as-object; knowledge-as-action; automobile industry; Brazil; learning.

DOI: 10.1504/IJATM.2007.014972

International Journal of Automotive Technology and Management, 2007 Vol.7 No.2/3, pp.153 - 167

Published online: 29 Aug 2007 *

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