Flexible Automation and Integrated Manufacturing 1996

ISBN Print: 978-1-56700-067-2

AN INFRASTRUCTURE FOR AGILE ENTERPRISE PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT SYSTEMS

DOI: 10.1615/FAIM1996.70
pages 57-66

Sinopsis

To exist in a global environment of continuous and unpredictable change, organizations must be forward-thinking, responsive, flexible, and agile. This competitive environment is further complicated by the fact that product complexity is continually increasing and the life cycle of many products is becoming shorter. One approach for dealing with this turbulent environment is for companies to rapidly team together and fill demands where voids exist in the marketplace. The need exists for a framework that facilitates the quick creation and effective operation of Virtual Enterprises. This paper presents an infrastructure intended to address this need. The infrastructure and its elements employ information technology as a mechanism to enable agile product development by multiorganization enterprises.