Information Systems Adaptation and the Successful Implementation of Advanced Manufacturing Technologies*

Abstract

Few plants have initial success with advanced manufacturing technologies (AMTs), and adaptations are commonly required after installing new technologies. We especially know little about the outcomes of adaptations that manufacturers regularly employ in the context of AMTs. Sociotechnical theory and the technology literature suggest that AMTs commonly require four types of adaptations including those to process technologies, human resources, operational structures, and information systems. This study investigates which of these four adaptations and their interactions lead to improved operational performance. Data were collected on 104 plants that implemented a single type of manufacturing AMT. Findings indicate that information systems (IS) adaptation during the course of AMT implementation was the most important action. Surprisingly, human resource and process technology adaptations were linked to lower performance, and no interactions had any clear effects. The results also show that practitioners underestimated the relevance of IS adaptations during contemporary or "second-generation" AMT implementation projects and overemphasized the need for shop floor changes.

OCB and external–internal social networks: effects on individual performance and adaptation to change

“…Grosser, López-Kidwell, & Labianca, 2010). Among the most valuable individual differences are relatively stable traits such as cognitive ability (Cote & Miners, 2006), personality (Goldberg, 1993) and self-efficacy (Bandura, 1977;Gist & Mitchell, 1992), while important contextual variables include factors such as leadership (Piccolo & Colquitt, 2006), job design (Fried & Ferris, 1987), job stress (LePine, Podsakoff, & LePine, 2005) and organizational rewards (Atwater, Camobreco, Dionne, Avolio, & Lau, 1997).…”

Impact of Product Modularity on Mass Customization Capability: An Exploratory Study of Contextual Factors

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“…20 Furthermore, the social and human systems of the organizations must also be redesigned to match these complex environments and associated advanced technologies. [21][22][23] As a new manufacturing paradigm, the successful implementation of mass customization requires manufacturers to integrate and coordinate new technology with humans and organizations. In this study, we performed an in-depth analysis of the impacts of the contextual factors, the product modularity, and the information system capacity in order to better understand how MCC can be successfully developed.…”

The use of information technology in the provision of HR compensation services and its effect on outsourcing and centralization

“…Raising the stakes, prior research has shown that the proper integration of IT can have a significant impact on the implementation of firm initiatives (Frohlich and Dixon, 1999). Internalizing firms may simply invest in trained individuals and this leads to human-specific investments.…”