An exploratory study of advanced manufacturing technology transfer within multi-facility manufacturing organizations and the role of advanced manufacturing centers.

摘要

The purpose of this study is to elucidate the phenomenon of intra-firm transfer of advanced manufacturing technologies (AMTs), and the role which advanced manufacturing centers (AMCs) play in the transfer process via a two-phase research project. Phase I investigates intra-firm AMT transfer and the role of AMCs from a plant-level perspective, and Phase II explores these areas from an AMC-perspective. The dependent variable for both phases of the study was: effectiveness of intra-firm AMT transfer projects which was operationalized along three dimensions: cost, technical success, and stakeholder satisfaction.;Phase I deduced hypotheses from existing literature on AMT, technology transfer, and process R&D. These hypotheses were tested with data collected from 58 manufacturing facilities representing 35 of the largest U.S. corporations in the electronics and electrical equipment industry. The following five categories of transfer effectiveness predictors were examined: (1) AMC involvement, (2) AMT characteristics, (3) transfer characteristics, (4) recipient characteristics, and (5) organization characteristics.;Phase II deduced hypotheses from existing literature on AMT, technology transfer, and process R&D. These hypotheses were tested with 21 AMCs representing 15 of the largest U.S. corporations in the electronics and electrical equipment industry. The following four categories of transfer effectiveness predictors were examined: (1) communication characteristics, (2) structure characteristics, (3) influence characteristics, and (4) organization characteristics.;To summarize, the major findings of this research suggest that several of the variables conceived by this study are significant predictors of the effectiveness of intra-firm AMT transfer projects. Specifically, Phase I results suggested that, from a plant-level perspective, the involvement of an AMC in intra-firm AMT transfer projects significantly increases transfer effectiveness. This measure emerged as a significant predictor across all three dimensions of the response variable. Results from the Phase II control variables provided significant insights into the modus operandi of AMCs. The study concludes by suggesting a synthesis of some of the major results.