Expert Opinions on Success Factors for New Manufacturing Technology Deployment in Thai Automotive Industry

Appropriate managerial efforts prior to and after adoption of New Manufacturing Technology (NMT) are the key requirements for successful NMT deployment. In this study, we identify factors related to the success of NMT deployment. After reviewing the literature, we developed interview protocol and used it to interview twenty managers of ten automotive manufactures. The managers are working in quality and production engineering departments of the first-tier suppliers of two major automobile assemblers. Fifty items were identified through the interview process representing the perspective of the mangers toward factors for successful NMT deployment. Finally, we asked ten experts to classify of those fifty items into four categories of the model of Quality Management System. The four categories are management responsibility, resource management, process and/or product realization, and measurement, analysis and improvement. The experts were chosen from academia, industry, registrar of ISO/QS9000, and NMT system vendor. We found that fourteen of fifty items can be classified into the four categories with hundred per cent of consensus rate from experts. The results imply that one could use the concept of Quality System Management to enhance the success of NMT deployment.