Management

Nowadays, every partner in a global supply chain storages the logged information central. Due to the increasing complexity in supply chains, the central storage of information doesn’t fulfill the high requirements. Therefore it is essential to get a more transparent supply chain by exchanging important information. On the one hand, a technical part for exchanging information is needed and on the other hand, a standardization of which information should be exchanged is necessary. This paper presents a framework for the information management of global supply chains at the example of automotive logistics. The framework describes which information and where this information should be exchanged in a supply chain.

Transportation and logistics operations are vulnerable to numerous types of risks. The globaly distributed production and sales lead to complex logistics tasks and more high-value goods are transported in global logistics networks. Nevertheless, detailed information about the condition of the goods and their integrity are not consistently available. The exact conditions during transport remain unclear. Efficient information and communication processes improve the coordination and effectiveness already in logistics. This article describes how the logistics network can be optimized by integration of cargo insurances as competent managers. Consequently, transport processes in terms of the potential dangers can be improved and entirely new business models can be developed.

Industry and export are the engine of the German economy. Not least the financial crisis and the impact on the real economy showed that the general conditions of the industrial enterprises change increasingly faster and radically. Changes which have been observed for longer times are enforced by the aftermath of the financial crisis. Two category groups can be identified as main challenges for the German industry: encrusted structures and socio-technical change. In companies the classical management methods are widely spread whose effectivity relies on the entire knowledge of causal connections and influence factors. But against the background of the actual challenges this not the status quo. This article explains how the comparison with nature offers explanations and approaches for the described problem.

The motivation of employees is an essential requirement for operational efficiency, the quality of the production process and the effectiveness of the work force. Therefore the primary objective for a company’s success should be the achievement of a high degree of employment motivation and satis-faction. Nevertheless, a high motivation of employees is not a matter of course. Therefore, we empirically investigate the status quo of employee orientation and motivation of the workforce aiming to identify potential improvements with regard to a better employee orientation. The results are surprising: The majority of employees are dissatisfied with the work tasks, the leadership of the supervisors or the working atmosphere in the company. The consequence: Lower works force motivation and a poor quality of employee performance, even though in the service industries employees are key for delivering quality and results.

PLM solutions are well established as a backbone for effective industrial engineering. As a company-wide solution, long term PLM planning has to be aligned with other company strategies, such as business, product or IT strategies. Since PLM solutions are mostly shaped by commercial PLM software providers with a focus on profitable short term software, the development of a long term corporate PLM strategy is quite challenging. In order to provide guidance in the process of long term strategic planning, ITM Bochum conducted a Delphi study in spring 2009 interviewing roughly 50 well-known industrial PLM experts. The study assessed and quantified the expected PLM developments, applications, and research trends in the next 10 years. Each of the interviewed experts has more than 20 years of experience in PLM and covers a different industrial perspective (management, product development, IT). Thus, their estimations are significant to identify main trends in PLM. This article summarizes the ...

Customer specific value creation is an adequate mean for technology oriented small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to differentiate themselves in the global market place. To achieve this, a tradeoff between efficiency and individualization in value creation has to be handled. In context of mass customization, sales configurators help to accomplish this. However, implementing such solutions rise both an organizational and strategic challenge. Therefore, referencing the context of change management, configurator implementation project case studies and a cross-case analysis are presented. Based on this, a model of implementation phases is derived which allows for addressing the specific challenges and recommendations with respect to such projects..

Communication is the elementary base of a company’s process flows. Its influence on employees and the company itself is vital and any deficiency leads to a decreased company success. Based on the aims of communication, a procedure to establish and implement a communication concept as a component of a company-specific communication culture is introduced.

Today`s complex and dynamic logistic processes are largely addicted to the efficient management of relevant information. Integrated into centralised planning and control structures, the flow and management of information is mostly handled in separate processes or sub processes. This proceeding results in an additional effort for the information processing and in corresponding delays during the process execution. This is especially the case for mobile work processes. Wearable computing systems offer the possibility to use modern information and communication technologies for a direct integration of the information processing and information management into the mobile work process. In this way the mobile user is discharged and able to concentrate on his logistical main task.

This study shows the interplay of culture development and the implementation of a new production system based on the principles of Kaizen and Total Productive Maintenance of a Business Unit of a German medium sized company. The analysis of the strategic reorganization highlights the importance of management sensitivity in regard to the cultural dimension of organizational change. The paper sheds light on the activities that put strategic change into practice.

Multinational companies operate under the dual imperative of global integration and local responsiveness. This tension results in control problems that can be effectively mitigated by corporate governance. The aim of the paper is to discuss these issues and to offer potential solutions in the form of governance mechanisms at the headquarters’ disposal. These include direct control by boards of directors and indirect control by means of incentive systems. The main argument is that the choice between these mechanisms is largely determined by a subsidiary’s level of autonomy and its strategic role within the corporate network.