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Starting the journey towards manufacturing excellence : MX Start. Innovation report
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McDougall, Heather S. (2011) Starting the journey towards manufacturing excellence : MX Start. Innovation report. EngD thesis, University of Warwick.
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WRAP_THESIS_McDougall_2011.pdf - Submitted Version Download (3573Kb) | Preview |
Official URL: http://webcat.warwick.ac.uk/record=b2604376~S1
Abstract
Manufacturing matters. It matters because of the economic contribution it provides in terms of wealth generation,
employment and exports.
The manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom can be strengthened. The opportunity for improvement
includes closing the productivity gap between other countries, encouraging innovation and developing the skills of
the workforce, in order to be globally competitive, drive growth and to help reduce the trade deficit. Critical to
exploiting these opportunities, and to the success of the industry, is the adoption of best practice.
Existing support for manufacturing improvement can be costly, difficult to access or dependent on input from
external experts. This support therefore is not readily accessible to every manufacturing company. There are also
a number of quality and performance awards available, however these are predominantly focused on recognising
success rather than on how this success can be attained. This research fulfils the gap by providing widely
accessible support for manufacturing companies that is focused on helping them to improve. The support provided
helps companies to identify and adopt relevant best practices.
This research work adapted a product evaluation framework to develop MX Start, a process that supports
manufacturing companies to start their improvement journey towards manufacturing excellence. MX Start was
developed following a review of the definition of Manufacturing Excellence, a needs assessment of the
opportunity, analysis of best practice dissemination strategies, comparative analysis of existing tools and a review
of effective self assessment and feedback principles. MX Start provides an easy to use, free of charge, web based
system that facilitates manufacturing companies to start their excellence journey. It enables manufacturers to
benchmark themselves against best practice in order to gain a greater understanding of what excellence entails, and
to enable improvement areas to be identified. This is then supported with a report that helps companies to prioritise
the improvement opportunities and provides feedback to then help them make these improvements.
The combination of the free of charge, widely accessible, self-directed system that is solely concerned with
supporting and encouraging companies to improve, is the basis of the innovation of this work.
MX Start has demonstrated impact to the manufacturing industry through a pilot and on-going work with the
Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS). As part of the pilot, over two hundred companies used the process to
conduct diagnostic activities to define areas for improvement, and identify where and how they could implement
best practices. As a result, MAS in the West Midlands have adopted the tool and supported further developments
of this research. This has increased the opportunity for MX Start to help companies progress on their excellence
journey and therefore, help support the manufacturing industry to improve.
An evaluation of MX Start by companies and manufacturing experts, found that the tool was easy to understand
and use, and that it helped companies to identify, and be motivated, to make improvements.
The web based system lends itself to further development. In addition to the assessment and report elements of
MX Start, the website contains a resource library. The resources contain more information and guidance. The
opportunity for the future is to expand this library and build a comprehensive database of support. This would
increase the ability of MX Start to support manufacturers to exploit the improvement opportunities to strengthen
the competitiveness of the manufacturing industry.
Item Type: | Thesis (EngD) | ||||
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Subjects: | H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management T Technology > T Technology (General) |
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Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): | Manufacturing processes -- Technological innovations, Production management -- Technological innovations, Manufacturing industries -- Technological innovations, Industrial productivity -- Effect of technological innovations on | ||||
Official Date: | September 2011 | ||||
Dates: |
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Institution: | University of Warwick | ||||
Theses Department: | Warwick Manufacturing Group | ||||
Thesis Type: | EngD | ||||
Publication Status: | Unpublished | ||||
Supervisor(s)/Advisor: | Garside, John | ||||
Sponsors: | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC); Institution of Mechanical Engineers (Great Britain) (IMechE) | ||||
Extent: | xviii, 190 leaves : illustrations, charts. | ||||
Language: | eng |
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