A simulation approach to innovation deployment readiness assessment in manufacturing

Abstract

Manufacturing companies need to continuously innovate in order to remain competitive. Fostering a successful innovative environment should reflect positively on manufacturing performance, with a premise that companies seek to attain appropriate level of readiness when deploying their innovation. This paper presents an approach to assessing innovation deployment readiness in manufacturing. Deployment is conceptualised as a sequential decision process that involves a deployment plan to be executed sequentially in an uncertain environment. The deployment plan is assessed using simulation to account for risks and uncertainties that may characterise the deployment activities in the target environment and the capabilities put forward in the plan for handling the risks and uncertainties. The approach is illustrated using a simulated manufacturing job shop scenario and the results show that deployment readiness can vary over time. Deployment readiness can be improved by identifying the states in which readiness is weak and taking appropriate actions.