Full-text of this article is not available in this e-prints service. This article was originally published following peer-review in the International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management, published by and copyright Emerald Group Publishing Ltd.

In an increasingly uncertain marketplace manufacturing organisations are striving to find new ways to meet customer requirements for competitively priced, customised products, delivered in shorter lead times. It is argued that to meet these demands there is a need to integrate the design,...