Radically new production systems

Identifies radical changes made by one organization in production principles and managerial issues behind the production system design, over a time period of 25 years. Finds that managerial perspectives moved away from a focus on handling problems (although with visions of work organization), to a focus on strategic, competitive advantages for the production system. Concludes that the short‐cycled workstation has been tied conceptually to the line, and the team to the dock. Finally, points out that the “experimental” plant plays an important role in the development of radically new ideas for production concepts, and that ideas from the solution in one‐step, play important parts in later generations.