Global manufacturing strategies require "dynamic engineers"?: Case study in Finnish industries

Traditional manufacturing is moving from Europe to Asia. This new “China effect” influences the manufacturing strategies of many different business areas. Manufacturing strategies have been changing from focused in 1970’s to multi-focused in the 2000s. Nowadays, the companies must excel simultaneously in quality, time, and costs, as well as in flexibility. Multifocused strategies have not been empirically tested under the influence of China effect taking the dynamic, complex and situational business strategies into account. This study compares the competitive priorities of manufacturing strategies in four different types of companies with some international comparisons and one longitudinal case study for benchmarking, to show the other companies the route for developments. All these companies are in some way affected by the China effect. As a result of these case studies, it is possible to understand the competitive priorities of manufacturing strategies for the case companies. The AHP method also made possible to compare inconsistencies in the answers between the companies. All four types of companies should grow internationally and utilize the developing countries as a means of lowering costs. But each type of company has its own special strategies to suit their markets. Companies in western countries should utilize multifocused manufacturing strategies based on their business strategy in a holistic way, e.g. through RAL concept, and to specialize through quality, e.g. by differentiating product and service technology for global high dynamic and complex business. Global sourcing in purchasing shall also be more and more used effectively for cost and productivity competitiveness. The development steps, from technology specialist to problem solver, are also proposed. Human resources have to be trained to be more “dynamic engineers”, all the time more also in industrial engineering and management.