Operational research into mass production

Abstract

A review of OR/Management Science research into systems for the mass production of discrete items reveals that the main strands of interest have remained remarkably constant. However, there has been relatively little published work depicting applications, and this paper seeks to explain why, whilst discussing the contribution that has been made to the understanding of the operation of assembly lines. Job design in the mass production environment has provoked much interest in recent years, and has even caught the popular imagination to some extent. Management is clearly concerned with the efficiency of the overall production system, whereas to date, academic research has focused on the motivation of the individual worker. Despite the overriding importance of strategic questions, and the limitations of a purely ‘behavioural’ approach, discussion of tactical issues dominates the OR literature. Examples from manufacturing industry highlight those areas requiring further investigations, and show why others cannot be expected to yield much of practical significance.