Purpose: Flexibility is a fundamental performance objective for manufacturing operations, allowing them to respond to changing requirements in uncertain and competitive global markets. Additive manufacturing machines are often described as “flexible,” but there is no detailed understanding...

Purpose The customer order decoupling point (CODP) concept addresses the issue of customer engagement in the manufacturing process. This has traditionally been applied to material flows, but has more recently been applied to engineering activities. This later subject becomes of particular...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the existing scenarios for 3D printing (3DP) in order to identify the “white space” where future opportunities have not been proposed or developed to date. Based around aspects of order penetration points, geographical scope and type of...

Purpose – This study aims to explore the experience of eight international companies, focusing on their strategies in sustainable innovations in China. Design/methodology/approach – This investigation is accomplished using a case study methodology. The research is based on the companies'...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between friendship and betrayal. Both are perceived to involve dynamics that can have a major impact in organizations, but both have tended to be under researched. Design/methodology/approach – The paper brings together ideas...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to refine a logistics triad uncertainty model taking a supply chain perspective, to determine and assess the different causes and sources of supply chain uncertainty that impact on the sustainability of the UK road freight transport sector....

WMC Ltd is a medium‐sized company which manufactures and distributes mechanical/ electrical equipment for the construction industry. Constitutes a case study which illustrates the re‐engineering methodology developed for WMC in order to improve its material and logistics control strategies....

There is little published work regarding value and waste in UK housebuilding supply chains. In this paper, we review the current status of research in supply chains generally and housebuilding supply chains specifically. The “wastes” and “values” within housebuilding supply chains are...