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Purpose: This paper proposes a relationship between decision making and key qualities of business systems. Design/methodology/approach: The authors explore the relationship between decision making and systems by contrasting the decision making in two well-known systems: MRP and JIT. The two systems present two sets of opposing qualities. By considering the relationship between a decision and its environment, we propose that these sets of qualities are not unique to MRP and JIT. They arise from two general approaches to decision making. Having introduced the two approaches, we analyze three product development systems: Stage-Gate, Agile and Lean. Findings: In manufacturing, MRP is a push system; JIT is a pull system. MRP seeks perfection; JIT seeks consistency. MRP gives decision makers great discretion; JIT constrains decisions. These opposing qualities, and others, arise from two general approaches to decision making: outside-in and inside-out. As the difficulty of decisions increase, relative to a decision maker's ability, the cost of mistakes becomes significant. In these situations, the inside-out approach should outperform the outside-in approach. The inside-out approach constrains decision making to limit the cost of errors. The outside-in approach embraces complexity, exposing itself to more decision errors. In product development, the Lean and Agile systems exploit the inside-out approach. They constrain decisions and reduce the cost of errors that arise from two sources. Lean addresses interactions, which add complexity to business systems. Agile addresses unpredictability, which adds uncertainty to business systems. Originality/value: The relationships the authors propose show how decision making affects the development, control and performance of business systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - Traditionally the customer order decoupling point (CODP) has focused mainly on the separation of production performed on speculation from commitment to customer orders. Engineering has, with few exceptions in this context, simply been viewed as occurring before production activities in a sequential manner. As competition increases, customer requirements for short lead-times in combination with customisations requires further integration of processes involving both engineering and production activities making the traditional view of the CODP insufficient in these cases. The purpose of this paper is thus to provide a more general approach to enterprise integration of cross-functional processes in order to extend the applicability of the CODP as a logistics oriented concept. Design/methodology/approach - We use evolutionary approach to define the CODP as a two-dimensional concept based on the integration of engineering and production. Findings - The extended CODP captures the complexity in terms of possible configurations, but also provides a framework for the issues that must be handled when positioning the CODP in terms of both engineering and production simultaneously. Practical implications - The two-dimensional CODP is an important extension to make the theory better reflect reality and hence increase the scope and acceptance of both the concept CODP per se, and the analysis based on the CODP. Originality/value - By the introduction of a new two-dimensional approach, a more comprehensive CODP typology is defined. We also provide a classification of customer order influence based on a combined engineering and production perspective where the efficient CODPs constitute a set providing the highest level of customer value in terms of engineering adaptations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes the practical application of a closed-loop process control information system designed to support continuous improvements in an industrial setting. Overview of the process monitoring systems, knowledge management and continuous improvement; Framework development and extent of application; Implementation of the system; Benefits of the system.

Presents information on an investigation in the state of the art of materials requirements planning (MRP) in Egypt. Examination of obstacles that impede MRP implementation in Egypt; Reasons for implementing MRP systems; Details on the investigation.