Group technology: Amalgamation with design of organisational structures

Abstract

Group technology has been studied extensively from an 'industrial engineering' perspective (layout, scheduling, workflow, etc.), but less often from an organisational design viewpoint. To study this implication of group technology, the approach of applied systems theory for the design of organisational structures as framework for analysis was used in three empirical cases. To increase the reliability of findings from the analysis of these three empirical cases, five more cases were drawn from archival search. Cluster analysis and product flow analysis were the methods used for forming groups of machines and employees in manufacturing cells, whereas the coding of parts was not employed to this end. Furthermore, the results indicate that the implementation of group technology generally meets shifts in performance requirements caused by competitive pressures, particularly flexibility and responsiveness, albeit the companies considered group technology only when under pressure of 'poor' business performance. However, group technology is not always a solution to challenges that companies experience; one empirical case shows that defunctionalisation and scheduling with virtual groups was more beneficial. Nevertheless, when the introduction of group technology is feasible, it also allows firms to consider delegating responsibility for production planning and scheduling to lower levels in the hierarchy and semi-autonomous groups as an alternative to 'complex' software applications (a socio-technical approach). Whereas the current study sheds some light on the relationship between group technology and design of organisational structures, further research is necessary into the design of these structures and their relationship to group technology.

The Machine-Part Cell Formation Problem with Non-Binary Values: A MILP Model and a Case of Study in the Accounting Profession

“…for all pairs of different cell indices g 1 and g 2 ∈ G. In the interests of clarity, Table 1 reflects an example of matrix rearrangement according to the MCPF optimization problem with 7 machines and 11 parts. As can be seen, the output of the optimization process is a diagonalized matrix with 3 different cells, highlighted with gray color (3 machine groups {(6, 7), (1, 2), (3,4,5)} and 3 families of parts {(4, 5, 8, 10), (1,2,6,9), (3, 7, 11)}). The elements (5,4) and (3,1) are denoted in the MCPF literature as exceptional elements and correspond to entries with a value of 1 outside of the gray diagonal blocks.…”

“…As can be seen, the output of the optimization process is a diagonalized matrix with 3 different cells, highlighted with gray color (3 machine groups {(6, 7), (1, 2), (3,4,5)} and 3 families of parts {(4, 5, 8, 10), (1,2,6,9), (3, 7, 11)}). The elements (5,4) and (3,1) are denoted in the MCPF literature as exceptional elements and correspond to entries with a value of 1 outside of the gray diagonal blocks. The elements (4,11) or (6,8) are called voids and correspond to 0s inside the diagonal blocks.…”

“…Group technology (GT) is a manufacturing approach in which parts with a high percentage of similarities are grouped and manufactured with a small number of machines or processes [1]. GT is employed for product design and manufacturing system design.…”

Implementation model for cellular manufacturing system using AHP and ANP approach

“…Group technology is necessary to CM (Dekkers, 2018). Mitrofanov and Burbidge proposed the concept of GT.…”

“…CM is used to achieve the advantages of a product-oriented production system for medium volume, medium variety condition by preparing a group of parts on a group (cell) of machines. CM, which clusters machines, is dedicated to the part family of similar components (Dekkers, 2018). Although CM does not have the flexibility of job shops in making an extensive variety of items yet, it has a high production rate and efficient flow (Liu et al , 2018).…”