Strategic Management of Global Manufacturing Networks: Aligning Strategy, Configuration, and Coordination

The preceding process of globalization and the continuously rising competitive pressure on manufacturing companies in more developed economies unveiled the limits of classical site-focused optimization approaches. The focus of network optimization shifts ever more towards an integrative view of manufacturing networks, striving for a harmonization of the strategy-, configuration- and coordination levels. This book presents such an integrative approach to the strategic management of manufacturing networks. Besides strategic network requirements, this book discusses the derivation of an optimal global footprint and the optimization of network coordination activities. Special attention is paid to the site roles concept, especially to the concept of 'lead factory'. A large number of up-to-date cases from the producing industry enrich the book and provide the reader with vivid examples for the application of the presented concepts. Hence, this book is a must-read for both practitioners and academic researchers.

About the Authors

Professor Dr. Thomas Friedli is Managing Director, Chair of Production Management, and Vice Director, Institute of Technology Management, University of St.Gallen (Switzerland)

Thomas Friedli’s main research focus is the management of manufacturing enterprises. His area of expertise is in operational excellence in the pharmaceutical industry, collaboration management, management of industrial services and management of global production.

In 2004, Thomas habilitated and became Adjunct Professor in St.Gallen. His team of 12 postgraduate students develops new management solutions for manufacturing companies. The Chair is largely financed through external funds, why most of the research projects are industrial projects. In 2007 he became an associate member to the International Academy for Quality (IAQ) and joined the SAQ (Swiss Association for Quality and Management Systems) as an advisory council in 2009. Since 2010, he is member of the board of the Swiss Institute of Service Sciences (SISS).

Thomas is teaching in several executive programs in St.Gallen, Fribourg, Dornbirn, Salzburg and Aachen; moreover, he is visiting lecturer at the Business School of Bordeaux. In fall 2008, he spent several weeks as Adjunct Associate Professor at the Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, USA. Since 2011, Thomas is Senior Lecturer of the Executive MBA program in St.Gallen and since 2012 also Senior Lecturer of the St.Gallen full time MBA program.

Andreas Mundt had been a research associate in the team of Thomas Friedli between 2009 and 2012. His main research focus was the management of global production. Andreas’ area of expertise is in configuration and coordination of global manufacturing networks. He wrote his doctoral thesis under the title “Managing manufacturing networks – The coordination perspective”.

Andreas graduated in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Darmstadt, Germany, and in Manufacturing Management at the University of Linköping, Sweden. Before he joined the University of St.Gallen for his doctoral studies, he worked in the Supply Chain Management of Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG, Germany. After finishing his doctoral studies at the Chair of Production Management, Andreas became the Secretary to the Supervisory Board of the REHAU Group.

Stefan Thomas had been a research associate in the team of Thomas Friedli from 2007 till 2012. His main research focus was the management of manufacturing enterprises. Stefan’s area of expertise is in configuration and coordination of global manufacturing networks. He wrote his doctoral thesis under the title “Production network systems – Pathway to efficient manufacturing networks”.

Stefan graduated in both Mechanical Engineering and in Industrial Engineering at the University of Darmstadt, Germany. After leaving the Chair of Production Management, he joined the REHAU Group as Assistant to the COO.