IMPLEMENTATION AND USE OF MATERIAL REQUIREMENTS PLANNING SYSTEM IN NORTHERN GREECE - A CASE-STUDY

The efforts of the manufacturing companies to offer more advanced and quality products, fulfilment of consumer needs and faster delivery tim es require efficient manufacturing controls and planning to ensure tha t productivity is maintained, stocks are minimized and resources are o ptimized. Material requirements planning (MRP) is a computerized infor mation system for managing dependent demand inventory and scheduling s tock replenishment orders. Although the use of these systems in indust rially developed countries is extensive, in Greece it is still in its infancy. The interaction of managerial tasks with MRP and the resultin g effects on the adoption and its infusion was the focus of our approa ch. In this paper we studied the organizational context of a company b efore and after the implementation of MRP, the guidelines for its succ essful implementation, the level of MRP usage in the company, the prob lems encountered, and the resulting benefits. Some of the findings ind icate that the MRP system reduces inventories, improves deliveries, an d achieves better planning and control.