Article
Open Access
Systems theory as the foundation for advanced manufacturing management
Polinpapilinho Katina
Department of Informatics and Engineering Systems, University of South Carolina Upstate, 800 University Way, Spartanburg, SC 29303, USA
Abstract

The development of any field relies on a consistent conceptual foundation. This foundation serves as a reference framework that can inform field development while guiding practice. For Advanced Manufacturing Management we propose that Systems Theory offers such a reference framework capable of grounding field development, providing a consistent language, and guiding enhanced practice. In this article, we focus on three central points. First, we briefly examine the distinction between the Advanced Manufacturing Technologies (AMT) and Advanced Manufacturing Management (AMM) problem domains. Our focus is to suggest the special demands of the AMM domain in contrast to traditional AMT. This distinction calls for a different conceptual foundation to enable an alternative level of thinking, decision, action, and interpretation appropriate for the AMM problem domain. Second, the essence of Systems Theory is examined as an appropriate conceptual foundation for AMM. Third, we explore the implications of several key propositions from Systems Theory for the AMM field and practitioners. The article concludes by suggesting a path forward for the incorporation of Systems Theory for advancing AMM.

Keywords

AMM; AMT; axiomatic; systems theory; VUCA

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