British Manufacturing Companies Research Articles

Contract structure for nuclear power projects

The UK government chose an unusual contract structure for the procurement of their programmes of civil nuclear power projects. British manufacturing and construction companies were invited to form consortia to compete for ‘turnkey’ contracts to design and supply complete power stations. The government continued with this structure until late in their second programme of projects. The results met the objective of national independence in power supply, but at a cost. This paper reviews the structure used in the UK, its evolution through two programmes of projects and lessons to be learned for new projects. The paper draws on published material, official papers, private records and reports from other countries. The most important lessons are that project sponsors should give rigorous attention to the choice of contract structure when initiating such major projects and that the structures open to them are not unique to their industry.

Applying lean thinking to improve the production process of a traditional medium-size British manufacturing company

A well-organised implementation of lean manufacturing strategy will lead to excellent operations system and continuous improvement through the removal of non-value-added activities. This case study uses value-stream-mapping to investigate non-value-added activities, simply show how lean manufacturing implementation can intelligibility result a framework of improvement. The implementation and improvements will be depicted in the area of lead time, cycle time and quality by applying lean concepts like circle-shape on production line, 5S and Kaizen team on the shop floor of a British medium-size company.

Studying Sensitive Issues: Using a Sample Survey in DESIGN MANAGEMENT RESEARCH

SURVEYS ARE ESSENTIAL for establishing certain design management principles. They are a tool for comparing data from a broad spectrum of organizations and can be structured to protect the confidentiality of information that might not otherwise be released. Stephen Potter was recently involved in a three-year survey among British manufacturing companies analyzing their return on investments in design. His insights on sampling methodologies and avoiding bias provide valuable guidelines for others undertaking this type of design management research.

The British Multinational Enterprise in Latin America before 1945: The Case of J. & P. Coats

This article concerns the ways in which J. & P. Coats, the major British multinational company manufacturing cotton thread, did business in Latin America before 1945. The company carried out a total of some 21 foreign direct investments in six countries, including Brazil, Mexico and Argentina, exemplary business practice among British contemporaries. The evidence on origins, performance and management, drawn from the company's archives for the first time, begins to fill a long-standing gap in the history of British business in Latin America. To this point, most studies have focused on the tertiary and primary industries. In the light of the extensive business interests of J. & P. Coats alone, further research may show that the significance and role of British manufacturing companies, seemingly minor actors in Latin American economies, was much greater than has been assumed.

Plant maintenance strategy: evidence from four British manufacturing firms

The nature of maintenance work has changed as a result of a huge increase in the number and variety of physical assets to be maintained, increasing automation and complexity, new maintenance techniques and changing views on maintenance organisation and responsibilities. Maintenance philosophy has evolved from reactive to preventive and later to a proactive approach. However, maintenance function is still largely seen as a “necessary evil” by many companies. What is their maintenance strategy in an increasingly competitive world? This paper first reviews the development of the maintenance philosophy. It then reports the case study findings of the maintenance strategies adopted by four large and medium‐sized British manufacturing and processing companies. The paper concludes that production pressure has forced these companies to resort to reactive maintenance, a technique which is counterproductive for the long‐term performance of the plant.

The use and effectiveness of modern manufacturingpractices: A survey of UK industry

In this paper we describe a survey of the current use and effectiveness of key modern manufacturing practices within the UK. The findings from the survey are based upon a ten-percent sample of British manufacturing companies employing more than 150 people. The most common practices in use are supply-chain partnering, total quality management, team-based working and integrated computerbased technology. By contrast, the least used practices in Britain are total productive maintenance, outsourcing, concurrent engineering and manufacturing cells. In terms of effectiveness, in more than half of the companies the practices are perceived to be failing to meet their objectives in terms of quality, cost or responsiveness to customers. It was found that practices such as learning culture, integrated computer-based technology and empowerment are expected to be used more in the future, whereas outsourcing, manufacturing cells and concurrent engineering are predicted to experience less growth. These findings are discussed within the paper in terms of their consistency with previous studies, as well as their implications for the current and future use of individual practices.

Against Japanization: understanding the reorganization of British manufacturing

In the late 1980s, the idea of Japanization dominated debates about the restructuring of production, work and industrial relations in this country. There was, of course, some evidence to support the Japanization thesis; yet, even at the time of the strongest influence, there were indications that it did not describe what was happening very well. It now seems much more plausible to argue that British manufacturing companies were on a distinctive trajectory of development, which has only passing similarities to Japanese patterns of organization.

Study of the practicalities of human centred implementation in a British manufacturing company

A series of pilot studies were made in a medium sized manufacturing company which makes breaking systems for heavy goods vehicles. The study looked at the practicalities of adopting human centred concepts in three cells at different stages of development. The study highlighted the difficulties of overcoming traditional working practice, and the importance of sustaining the programme of continuous improvement. This is true irrespective of the level of development of cell working practices and the skills of the cell members.

″Project Dropstrat″: Product Elimination and the Product Life Cycle Concept

This research represents the first attempt to examine the product elimination decision over the Product Life Cycle (PLC). Two research hypotheses were put forward proposing that: (a) a product may be dropped from a company′s product line irrespective of its position on the PLC, and (b) the stage of the PLC does influence the product elimination process. These exploratory propositions were assessed against data from a cross‐sectional sample of British manufacturing companies. The data were secured by means of a mail questionnaire and involved 156 recently discontinued products. The results of our study confirm both research hypotheses. Products may be eliminated irrespective of their position on the PLC and the elimination decisions made at the early stages of the PLC are triggered by different problem situations and involve different evaluation factors and elimination strategies than those made at the later stages of the PLC.

Measures of International Competitiveness: Empirical Findings from British Manufacturing Companies

This paper presents the measures of competitiveness used by British managers. The evidence comes from interviews with managers in five manufacturing industries. Measures are classified as (1) performance measures, (2) measures of competitive potential and (3) management process determinants of competitiveness. In the first category, profitable market share emerged as the key concept. The most important measures of potential were R&D spending and commercialisation of R&D. Finally, process measures were given considerable weight by managers and management focus, internal and external relationships and internal functional integration and communication were particularly emphasised.

Diversity, Diversification, and Profitability Among British Manufacturing Companies, 1972–1984

Diversity, Diversification, and Profitability Among British Manufacturing Companies, 1972–1984

DIVERSITY, DIVERSIFICATION, AND PROFITABILITY AMONG BRITISH MANUFACTURING COMPANIES 1972-84.

This study investigated the causal relationships between diversity, diversification, and profitability among 304 large British manufacturing companies that differed in both product and multinationa...

The causes of product delection in british manufacturing companies

The causes of product delection in british manufacturing companies

Multinationality and Performance among British Manufacturing Companies

Over the period 1972–84, profitability among 304 large, British manufacturing companies was positively related to their degree of multinationality. Moreover, increases in overseas production were strongly associated with increases in sales and profitability. The profitability of multinational growth over the whole period was independent of its destination, supporting the view that the primary source of the superior performance of multinationals was competitive advantage rather than the higher rate of profit in the industries of other countries.

A framework for productivity analysis at the organisational level: Method and an applied case

This paper outlines a framework for productivity analysis which enables both partial and total input productivities to be identified in terms of money values and their real (volume) and unit value (terms-of-trade) components. Attention is given to the specification of the production relationship, index number issues and aggregation problems. The framework is applied to a British manufacturing company, some further methodology issues being considered and the results presented.

Linking different types of product elimination decisions to their performance outcome: ‘Project dropstrat’

The purpose of the study presented in this paper was to identify different types of product elimination decisions and to determine their relationship to the performance outcome that they achieved. The underlying hypothesis was that there is a linkage between a type of product elimination and the outcome that it achieves. This exploratory proposition was assessed against data pertaining to 156 recently discontinued products provided by an equal number of British manufacturing companies. Eight different types of product elimination decisions and four independent dimensions of the performance outcome of a product elimination decision were uncovered in our research and our findings clearly indicated that different types of product eliminations are indeed closely tied to the outcome results that they achieve. Specifically, the product elimination decisions which were the result of a proactive search for elimination candidates guided by strategic considerations were more successful than those which were the result of a passive response to a problem or crisis situation.

Awareness and use of forecasting techniques in british industry

AbstractThe paper summarizes results of a mail survey of the use of formal forecasting techniques in British manufacturing companies. It appraises the state of awareness of particular techniques and the extent to which they are used in various functional applications. The extent to which the forecasts generated by the techniques influence company action is assessed; and the reasons for the non‐use of particular techniques examined. The paper concludes that although an increasing number of companies appreciate the importance of forecasting, the methods used are predominantly naïve and few companies are taking steps to improve the situation through using alternative techniques or through computerizing established techniques.

Formal Forecasting in British Industry

This article is based on a questionnaire survey of seventy‐six British manufacturing companies, chosen by circularising members of the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants who hold senior management positions within their organisations. 54 per cent of the respondents completing the questionnaire were Financial Directors, the remaining responses coming from Managing Directors and other senior executives. The questionnaire concerned numerous aspects of the use of formal forecasting techniques in British industry, but our concern here will be mainly with those aspects which involve the finance function.

Corporate planning at Rolls-Royce Motors Limited

In this article the authors describe the introduction to date of a formal planning process at a British manufacturing company which, according to its recent performance, had no pressing need to implement radical change. Is Rolls-Royce Motors' decision the symptom of a new trend in industry to overhaul planning techniques while the going is good? How was company morale used to justify a new planning style? Why did an evidently capable organization choose to engage consultancy assistance? While the company's intentions are not yet fully achieved, its experience may be of benefit to others contemplating a similar decision.