Manufacturing strategies and work organization in an engine supply chain

Abstract

New types of relation between buyer and suppliers companies have been implemented, leading to different kinds of physical arrangement in industrial chains, and changing their economic and productive performance, the supply management, among others.This article discusses the relationship between Manufacturing Strategies (MSs) and forms of Work Organization (WOs) adopted by an engine assembler and nine of its supplierscompanies in the same industrial chain. , examining how the specific decisions of the assembly plant affects the decisions of those suppliers. The analysis has been carried out based on information collected from interviews with the managers responsible for the areas of manufacturing, quality, logistics and human resources. We focus specifically on the relations between an automaker and nine of its direct suppliers. It was observed that suppliers' competitive priorities are strongly conditioned by the buyer's strategy and that, although there may be a general trend towards a form of work organization, the pace of change in this area alters according to the suppliers's own manufacturing strategies, their human resources policies, the situation of the job market, and the relative power of the workers' unions.

Competitive Priorities and Strategic Alignment as Mediators in the Relationship Between Companies in the Brazilian Automotive Supply Chain

“…Joshi, Nepal, Rathore and Sharma [25] indicate that it may be a mistake to interpret the automotive chain as being the sole decision-maker, as being the chain's strongest link. Alves Filho et al [26] note that the assemblers have proposed some changes to the supply chain arrangements, and to the pattern of the automakersupplier relationship.…”

Desenvolvimento de produtos no contexto das cadeias de suprimentos do setor automobilístico

“…Essa dependência é ainda maior no caso dos fornecedores que foram, em algum momento, desenvolvidos pela montadora (Alves Filho et al, 2001).…”

“…Isso pode corroborar a proposição de Alves Filho et al (2001), que sugere que nem todos os elos da cadeia devem ser necessariamente coordenados e integrados.…”