Recently, it has been recognized that production control systems for multi‐stage manufacturing processes can be classified into push‐type and pull‐type systems. The push‐type systems are commonly defined as those types of materials requirements planning system which utilize the forecast...

In any real time control system, its scheduling and control policy should be reassessed every time the state of the system changes. In large and complex systems, this could be a self‐defeating goal. Implementing real time control in such systems would require an enormous amount of computation...

Reports development and simulation of real‐time dispatching procedures, for flexible manufacturing cells (FMCs) in constant production circumstances, where a fixed set of part types is processed continuously while maintaining constant ratios between quantities needed of each part type. Five...

Presents eight guidelines to help managers better utilize their flexible manufacturing technology (FMT). Suggests changes in the operator′s role, the production planning system and the integration of departments. The conclusions are based primarily on an in‐depth study of six companies using...

Presents a hierarchical production planning (HPP) model that integrates aggregate‐type planning, family disaggregate planning, lot‐sizing, job scheduling and evaluation of the final production plans into a complete planning and scheduling system. In‐corporation of a simple heuristic...

Suggests that frequent review of product sales performance is essential to the planning and control process. Investigates those products which have reached maturity or saturation stage of their product life cycle and reviews these in order to decide on their future product strategy. Evaluates...

Trends in modern management point toward composite and comprehensive management systems that provide for competitive performance in the global economy. Management system audits are widely used to ensure compliance with planned arrangements and improvement of business performance. This paper...

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) and supply‐chain management (SCM) have been growing in popularity across various industries. New initiatives in resources planning, electronic commerce and extended supply chain drive the trend among corporations towards integrating strategic business...

Decision support systems (DSS) like individual DSS, group DSS, or organization DSS, have traditionally been developed separately. Attempts to integrate their separate development into a unified framework. Specifies the relationship between the decisions supported by different DSS in...

Examines organizations as systems based on interdependence between people rather than structured parts. Goes on to explore organization processes, interfaces and variability as aspects of a dependence principle. Presents a short case study and concludes by arguing that we must stop thinking...