A NOTE ON THE GROWTH OF A PRODUCTION PLANNING SYSTEM - A CASE-STUDY IN EVOLUTION

In a previous issue of this journal, Liberatore and Miller [1985] desc ribed the efforts of a ceramic tile manufacturer, American Olean Tile Company, to implement a hierarchical production and distribution plann ing system. That original model-based planning system evolved and prog ressed over the next four to five years to produce long-range benefits for the firm. Among the enhancements American Olean introduced were t he replacement of a static annual optimization model with several dyna mic models, an improved inventory planning approach, and improved dema nd forecast models.