Analysis of how agile manufacturing capabilities could be used differently in plants within the footloose and rooted subnetworks of the global production network

Abstract

This paper provides a literature review study to investigate how Agile Manufacturing (AM) capabilities could be used in different plants within a company's Global Production Network (GNP). To do this, this paper makes use of Ferdows, Vereecke, and De Meyer (2016) subnetworks positions framework. Each of the subnetwork positions has its own manufacturing characteristics and missions. From the four subnetworks, this paper focused on the main two, footloose and rooted. 17 articles were analyzed and this paper found that there are four major AM capabilities categories, namely responsiveness, flexibility, integration, and competency. Each of the AM capabilities categories could be used differently in each of the subnetworks depending on the focus factors emphasized in each category. With that, this paper has presented how AM system capabilities could help plants in the footloose and rooted subnetworks to achieve their missions. Further, this study provides an early phase to understand how AM system could accommodates different plants positions in the GPN. This study also set out an insight that, despite being founded 29 years ago, AM system with their capabilities, is still relevant to be continuously implemented in the present time. This paper does not provide any empirical validation yet for the findings. Thus, this paper also provide avenues for future research.