Total agile design system model via literature exploration
| Pages | 570-588 |
| Date | 24 April 2009 |
| Published date | 24 April 2009 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/02635570910948678 |
| Author | S. Vinodh,G. Sundararaj,S.R. Devadasan |
| Subject Matter | Economics,Information & knowledge management,Management science & operations |
Total agile design system model
via literature exploration
S. Vinodh
Department of Production Engineering, National Institute of Technology,
Tiruchirappalli, India
G. Sundararaj
Department of Mechanical Engineering, PSG College of Technology,
Coimbatore, India, and
S.R. Devadasan
Department of Production Engineering, PSG College of Technology,
Coimbatore, India
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the researches reported in literature on agile
manufacturing(AM) and determine the avenues by whichagility can be imparted in traditionalsectors.
Design/methodology/approach – After reviewing the literature on AM, it has been found that
these papers address AM along as many as 12 directions. The findings of this review are used to
design a model called total agile design system (TADS).
Findings – The major finding of the exploration reportedin this paper is that, the need of the hour is to
sensitizethe traditionalsectors for acquiringdesign capabilitiescompatible for imbibingagility in totality.
Research limitations/implications – The TADS model proposed has been reviewed only by
25 industry captains. However, this may not affect the credibility of this model as it is designed by referring
to a large number of researches reported in peer reviewed articles appeared in leading international journals.
Practical implications – After designing, TADS was exposed to 25 industry captains. Their
feedback was gathered using a questionnaire. The results of analysis of their feedback indicates the
practical compatibility of TADS.
Originality/value – It appears that no researcher has identified the different directions in which AM
researches have progressed. Moreover, no researcher has contributed a model to adopt computer aided
design (CAD)/computer aided manufacturing (CAM) and rapid prototyping (RP) technologies in
totality to achieve agility in manufacturing organisations. As this paper has overcome the absence of
these kinds of researches, it is original and valuable.
Keywords Computer aided design,Computer aided manufacturing,Agile production, India,
Communicationtechnologies
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
The ever increasing intensity of competition has been envisaging the modern
companies to respond quickly in accordance with the customers’ dynamic demands
(Goh, 2006; Chen et al., 2006; Gupta et al., 2006; Ho et al., 2005; Christopher, 2000;
Mason-Jones and Towill, 1999). This task has to be achieved by the modern companies
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/0263-5577.htm
The authors are thankful to the anonymous referees and the Editor of Industrial Management & Data
Systems for stipulating the corrections which were used while improving the text of this paper.
IMDS
109,4
570
Received 3 July 2008
Revised 15 September 2008
Accepted 7 October 2008
Industrial Management & Data
Systems
Vol. 109 No. 4, 2009
pp. 570-588
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0263-5577
DOI 10.1108/02635570910948678
without compromising quality, productivity, innovation and cost of manufacturing
(Maskell, 2001). The companies capable of carrying out this task is said to possess agile
characteristics. Today, this kind of companies are able to thrive well in the competitive
market (Lin et al., 2006; Ma and Davidrajuh, 2005). For example, information
technology (IT) based hardware and software companies are capable of generating
high wealth in many societies by imbibing agile characteristics. Those IT based
companies are able to excel so by electronically digitalizing their products, processes
and services. For example, a mobile phone service provider is able to offer numerous
services to the customers by enabling them to send the message seeking their
preferences. As the contents of these messages and preferences are electronically
digitalized, they are programmable, reprogrammable and flexible (Sigala, 2006). The
condition is not so in the case of traditional companies. The traditional companies do
not adequately electronically digitalize their products, processes and services and
hence, fail to acquire agility so as to compete in the global market (Devadasan et al.,
2005). For example, despite its phenomenal growth, the automobile industry is unable
to produce a vehicle to suit a customer’s tastes within a short period of time (Holweg,
2005). This situation favours the study of researches and practices being pursued to
instill agile characteristics in traditional sectors.
Today, researchers are investigating the agile characteristics under the umbrella
name “Agile Manufacturi ng” (AM) (Brown and Bessan t, 2003). Although, a
considerable number of researchers have worked on AM (Yusuf et al., 1999;
Vazquez-Bustelo and Avella, 2006; van Assen, 2000; Sharp et al., 1999), today a study
on these AM researches is necessitated in the context of the report that AM is yet to
penetrate well in practical scenario (Yusuf and Adeleye, 2002). This paper reports a
literature exploration that was carried out to fulfill this need. In the beginning, 100 peer
reviewed papers on AM published by the leading publishers were gathered.
An overview of these papers indicated that the AM researches are conducted under
three main domains:
(1) The origin and growth of AM principles are investigated.
(2) The application feasibility of AM principles in several types of companies is
examined.
(3) The enabling tools, techniques, methodologies and models of AM are either
developed or investigated.
A further scrutiny in this regard enabled the identification of 12 topics of AM
researches which are carried out under these three domains. However, researches are
yet to be undertaken to link significant research activities undertaken under these 12
topics. The major finding of the literature exploration reported in this paper is that, the
traditional sectors which do not electronically digitalise their operations to the
adequate extent need to be provided with a model to acquire design capabi lities
compatible for imbibing agile characteristics in totality. In order to promote this
process, a model called total agile design system (TADS) is proposed in this paper.
This paper is organised in 17 major sections. After this introduction section, the
literature explored under the above 12 topics is described. The observations of this
literature exploration are subsequently discussed. Then, TADS model is proposed. The
feedback of the practitioners on TADS is presented in the following section. The paper
is finally concluded by pointing out the future scope of research.
TADS model via
literature
exploration
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