DETERMINANTS OF GROUP TECHNOLOGY CELLULAR MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS SUCCESS - AN EMPIRICAL-INVESTIGATION

This paper addresses the major issues involved in managing the develop ment of group technology/cellular manufacturing (GT/CM) systems. First , theoretical and empirical literature in GT/CM are explored to identi fy the planning, design and implementation practices which are expecte d to play major roles in successful development of cellular manufactur ing systems. Then we attempt to measure if and to what extent these pr actices affect the success of such projects via a detailed survey of 6 9 companies that have implemented GT/CM systems. It is observed that a properly managed/GT/CM project can provide, not only operational effi ciency but also, strategic advantages to a firm. Several management is sues that stand out in our study are: (1) training of employees across functional boundaries at all levels of organizational hierarchy, (2) revised incentive/reward schemes, (3) autonomy of cell teams, (4) grad ual phasing-in of cells, (5) employee involvement during the developme nt life cycle, and (6) setting specific targets during the project pla nning stage.