LINKING MARKET FACTORS TO MANUFACTURING DESIGNS

This paper presents a heuristic method for designing manufacturing foc us in batch manufacturing facilities. Although the benefits of manufac turing focus have been articulated in the literature, methods of imple mentation with the consideration of resource requirements have not bee n previously developed. In this study, we discuss the importance of in cluding resource aspect, and propose a methodology that can help manag ers arrive at a focus design with minimum resource needs. The methodol ogy translates the strategic concept of competitive priorities into ma nagement parameters, thereby allowing incorporation of market factors into manufacturing process design. The results of the numerical exampl e demonstrates that the methodology offers managers the opportunity to generate and assess alternative manufacturing designs which are other wise unavailable. The use of the methodology is straightforward in pra ctical situations and should greatly enhance the linkage between marke ting and manufacturing design.