Manufacturing knowledge management

Abstract

The continuous growth in socioeconomics environment dynamics and the complexity that surrounds manufacturing systems have made companies review their strategies and practices related to their production systems. They have been concentrating efforts at the development of Production Models, and thus the Resource Based Theory has been revisited. This study aims to identify the critical elements that characterize the relationship between manufacturing strategy, technology planning, and knowledge management actions. Based on the theoretical context of manufacturing and technological strategies, a processual framework for knowledge management is proposed. The developed process is tested through the identification of critical elements of knowledge management in an automaker company using the Cambridge Process Approach, an action research strategy. This paper summarizes a discussion of the critical elements of knowledge management in order to propose a set of KM actions observing the close relationship necessary between manufacturing and technology strategies.