Title: Corporate manufacturing network: from hierarchy to self-organising system

Authors: Mike Danilovic, Mats Winroth

Addresses: Jonkoping International Business School, Jonkoping University, Box 1026, SE–551 11 Jonkoping, Sweden. ' School of Engineering, Jonkoping University, Box 1026, SE–551 11 Jonkoping, Sweden

Abstract: Increased competition forces small and medium sized companies to collaborate in network settings. In this paper, we are investigating how direction and accountability is handled in a network setting consisting of four independent companies. The high level of inter-company integration has created conditions for the network to develop self-organising characteristics that are based on strategic conversation between companies at all organisational levels and participation of managers as well as engineers in the design of inter-and intraorganisational structures and processes. In self-organising systems direction comes from closeness to customers and strategic dialogue between management and engineers and accountability is a consequence of high level of situational visibility and information exchange on all hierarchical levels among companies.

Keywords: self-organising systems; inter-company integration; manufacturing systems; networking; corporate manufacturing networks; SMEs; product development; production; collaboration.

DOI: 10.1504/IJISM.2006.008341

International Journal of Integrated Supply Management, 2006 Vol.2 No.1/2, pp.106 - 131

Published online: 05 Dec 2005 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article