Title: Evaluation of world-class manufacturing systems: a case of Indian automotive industries

Authors: K.S. Sangwan, A.K. Digalwar

Addresses: Engineering Services Division, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani-333031, India. ' Engineering Services Division, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani-333031, India

Abstract: Many industries are implementing World-Class Manufacturing (WCM) systems to compete in the global market. However, the researchers in the area of WCM have not paid much attention to the techniques/methodologies for the evaluation of WCM systems. This paper presents a set of validated critical success factors and their performance variables for WCM industries. The reliability and validity analyses were carried out by using the SPSS® 11.5 statistical tool on the data obtained from the Indian automotive industries. A multiattribute decision model, i.e., Performance Value Analysis (PVA), was developed for the evaluation of WCM systems. The usefulness of the model is demonstrated using a case situation of the Indian automotive industry. By utilising this model, it is expected that managers/decision makers will acquire sufficient confidence in evaluating world-class automotive industries.

Keywords: world-class manufacturing; WCM; multicriteria decision making; MCDM; performance measures; critical success factors; performance value analysis; PVA; India; automobile industry; performance evaluation; automotive manufacturing.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSOM.2008.018725

International Journal of Services and Operations Management, 2008 Vol.4 No.6, pp.687 - 708

Published online: 16 Jun 2008 *

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