Establishing factors to consider while adopting the agile approach in manufacturing companies

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Abstract

Due to the current fast-paced business environment, new approaches to product development (PD) have been requested. In that matter, the agile approach has gained interest among researchers and practitioners. Based on its positive results in the software industry, it has started to be adopted in the manufacturing industry. Nevertheless, there are factors that manufacturing companies must consider while adopting the agile approach, and there is a lack of in-depth empirical studies about those factors. In that matter, this paper presents the preliminary findings of a single case study of a large manufacturing company. The data collection consisted of fifteen semi-structured interviews with persons with key roles in different organizational functions. The identified factors were analyzed and presented according to a product development system (PDS) perspective which encompasses people, process, and technology and tools subsystems. For the people subsystem, the study identified factors related to cross-functional integration and coordination, cross-functional communication, organizational culture, understanding of the agile approach, definition of roles and responsibilities, and people involvement and support. In respect of the process subsystem, the study identified factors associated with workload leveling and development interfaces. Regarding the technology and tools subsystem, the study identified factors related to the integration of information systems, and technology and manufacturing readiness levels. As a result, the study contributes further to the establishment of the factors that may influence the adoption of the agile approach in the PDS of a large manufacturing company.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationSPS 2022 - Proceedings of the 10th Swedish Production Symposium
EditorsAmos H.C. Ng, Anna Syberfeldt, Dan Hogberg, Magnus Holm
PublisherIOS Press
Pages341-353
Number of pages13
ISBN (Electronic)9781614994398
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2022 Apr 20
Event10th Swedish Production Symposium, SPS 2022 - Skovde, Sweden
Duration: 2022 Apr 262022 Apr 29

Publication series

NameAdvances in Transdisciplinary Engineering
Volume21

Conference

Conference10th Swedish Production Symposium, SPS 2022
Country/TerritorySweden
CitySkovde
Period2022/04/262022/04/29

Subject classification (UKÄ)

  • Production Engineering, Human Work Science and Ergonomics

Free keywords

  • agile
  • factors
  • Integrated product and production development
  • manufacturing company
  • product development system

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