Human, technological and organizational aspects influencing the production scheduling process

• Published in: International journal of production economics Vol. 110; no. 1; pp. 160 - 174
• Main Authors: Berglund, M., Karltun, J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.10.2007; Elsevier; Elsevier Sequoia S.A
• Series: International Journal of Production Economics
• Subjects: Activity analysis; Arbetsvetenskap och ergonomi; Case study; Humans; Industrial engineering and economy; Industriell teknik och ekonomi; MANAGEMENT; Manufacturing engineering and work sciences; Organizational behavior; Production scheduling; Produktion och arbetsvetenskap; Scheduling; Studies; TECHNOLOGY; Technology and organization; TEKNIKVETENSKAP; Woodworking industry; Work sciences and ergonomics; Case study; Technology and organization; Activity analysis; Scheduling; Humans; Woodworking industry; technology and organization
• ISSN: 0925-5273; 1873-7579; 1873-7579
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpe.2007.02.024

This study of scheduling work in practice addresses how the production-scheduling processes in four companies are influenced by human, technological, and organizational aspects. A conclusion is that the outcome of the scheduling process is influenced by the scheduler adding human capabilities that cannot be automated, by technical constraints in the scheduled production system and by the available scheduling software tools. Furthermore, the outcome is influenced not only by how the scheduling process is formally organized, but also by the scheduler's informal authority and the role taken to interconnect activities between different organizational groups. The findings from the study support a number of previous studies done on scheduling in practice whilst giving new insights into their interpretation.