Search

This chapter presents a knowledge management and Ergonomics implementation in manufacturing systems, through the development and validation of a critical success factors questionnaire. The instrument developed measures the frequency of inclusion of critical success factors for the implementation of Ergonomics and its benefits, validated in the manufacturing industry. The frequency is based on a five-point Likert scale. So far, no instrument able to measure such factors has been found in the literature. The questionnaire comprises 73 questions presented in four main stages: planning, process startup stage, work improvement cycle and long-term development. In addition, it contains a section of benefits regarding health and safety, operational and quality of life at work. The instrument was validated through a pilot test involving 140 participants from seven companies in the manufacturing sector of Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, México, through the use of an intentional selective method.

The purpose of this chapter is to present the relationship between the external service provider named Third Party Logistics 3PL and the performance of the logistics process in Mexican manufacturing companies, in order to ascertain the contribution of the aspects considered, allowing companies' suggested improvement actions. Through a field research in Ciudad Juarez and making use of an instrument about 3PL, authors considered four variables: transport, transport management, information technologies, and warehouse. To find the causal model with the relationships between the variables, authors used structural equations modelling. That also identified the relevant aspects in 3PL providers companies' manufacturing and collaboration activities realized in the practice. The results indicate that mainly the information technologies and the transport management have a greater influence on the performance of the logistics process in this type of company.

This chapter reports a structural equation model which relate four latent variables associated with employee performance, knowledge transfer, supply chain complexity and flexibility, which incorporate 17 observed variables. The latent variables are related through 6 hypotheses that are tested with data gather from 269 responses to a questionnaire applied to the Mexican maquiladora industry in Mexico. The model is executed using the partial least squares technique to analyze the direct, indirect, and total effects. In the same way, the probabilities of occurrence are obtained in an independent manner, jointly and conditionally for the latent variables analyzed at their high and low levels for each of the hypotheses. Findings indicate that the external knowledge transfer is crucial within the supply chains, since it explains 44.6% of its complexity, 19.5% of the employees’ performance, as well as 10.6% of the supply chain flexibility.

The present research proposes a structural equation model to integrate four latent variables: managerial commitment, preventive maintenance, total productive maintenance, and productivity benefits. In addition, these variables are related through six research hypotheses that are validated using collected data from 368 surveys administered in the Mexican manufacturing industry. Consequently, the model is evaluated using partial least squares. The results show that managerial commitment is critical to achieve productivity benefits, while preventive maintenance is indispensable to total preventive maintenance. These results may encourage company managers to focus on managerial commitment and implement preventive maintenance programs to guarantee the success of total productive maintenance.

The current paper presents a structural equation model with four variables (Government, Infrastructure, Proximity to market, and supply chain Agility) affecting the Financial performance of a company. Six hypotheses or relationships among variables are proposed, supposing that Government and market Proximity are key elements to achieve a greater Agility in supply chains, considering the regional Infrastructure to determine the impact on Financial performance in manufacturing companies. The model is validated with data from a survey applied to 225 persons in 65 manufacturing companies located in Ciudad Ju&aacute, rez, Chihuahua, Mexico. The model is evaluated using partial least squares, and the findings indicate that there is a direct and positive effect from the Government on regional Infrastructure with a rate of 0.436. When the Government supports the availability of land, energy resources, transportation, telecommunications, mobile telephones, and other services, a positive change is achieved in the Infrastructure and supply chain Agility. Furthermore, the Government also has a direct and positive effect on the market Proximity at a rate of 0.171, consequently, the regional Infrastructure also has an effect on it. Similarly, the market Proximity directly and positively influences the supply chain Agility, as well as a company&rsquo, s Financial performance at a rate of 0.506.

This chapter proposes a series of models to associate Regional Factors with supply chain performance benefits. The relationships between the latent variables are considered as research hypothesis and are validated using data collected from the Mexican export-oriented manufacturing industry. The evaluation results indicate that Regional Factors are essential in supply chain Performance but are also a source of uncertainty for manufacturing industries. In other words, aspects such as infrastructure and government support are important for companies to operate, yet they cannot be controlled inside of the facilities and depend on external forces.

This chapter reviews the topic of global production, with a brief discussion of its historical evolution. We explain the concepts and aspects that have influenced the current production regime and discuss the relationship between the supply chain and the current environment of global competitiveness. Then, we address current supply chain trends that operate in today’s dynamic world economy through global production. Finally, we present examples of some companies that have reached success and have gained a great competitive advantage through an appropriate supply chain management.

This chapter discusses concepts related to supply chain performance and supply chain performance evaluation. The purpose of this chapter is to explain how current companies seek benefits and competitiveness through supply chain attributes and supply chain performance metrics. Some of these attributes and metrics are classified from an economic perspective, whereas others are addressed from an operational, tactical, or strategic approach to explain qualitative and quantitative aspects of the supply chain. Understanding the notions and implications of supply chain performance and supply chain evaluation is very important when companies aim at improving their competitive levels, especially because performance metric systems provide real-time information on how the supply chain is managed. Similarly, classifying performance into its different categories will allow this chapter to clearly address evaluation methods in the manufacturing industry.

This chapter explores how performance factors and supply chain benefits are interrelated. We particularly emphasize on the attributes used to evaluated performance in a clearly industrial context. First, the chapter discusses some definitions of supply chain performance. Then, performance benefits are explored along with their measurements and role within the industry. It is important to mention that the attributes used in this book to measure performance were adapted from the works of several authors. Moreover, they will be used in subsequent chapters to assess supply chain performance in the manufacturing industry.

This paper presents a structural equation model for analyzing the relationship between four latent variables: infrastructure, production processes, transport benefits, and economic benefits within the supply chain for wine from La Rioja, Spain, by incorporating 12 observed variables. The model proposes six hypothesis that were tested using information gathered from 64 surveys completed by managers of several wineries in the region. The WarpPLS v.5® software (Version 5.0, ScriptWarp Systems, Laredo, TX, USA) was used to execute the model and analyze the direct, indirect, and total effects among latent variables. The results show that the control of production processes is a direct source of economic and transport benefits because of its higher explanatory power of those variables. Similarly, infrastructure is a direct source of transport and production benefits, and some of them are given indirectly. In addition, infrastructure does not have a direct effect on economic benefits; however, there were indirect effects given through production process and transport benefits. Infrastructure is a very important variable because of its influence in the final performance, but also because of its high environmental impact. Finally, economic benefits were explained in 43.8%, 19.1% belonging to production process, 21.1% coming from transport benefits, and 3.7% from infrastructure. © 2018 by the authors.

Background In developing countries such as Mexico, the effects of burnout syndrome (BS) are observed in manufacturing industries. However, the relationships among BS, Job Content (JC), and Musculoskeletal Complaints (MC) are scarcely studied within the manufacturing sector, even though senior and middle managers are exposed to highly demanding and mentally exhausting situations. Objectives The objective of this paper is to determine the relationships among the three BS dimensions, MC, and JC among middle and senior managers of the manufacturing industry in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Methods The Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS), the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ), and the Body Map assessment were administered as data collection instruments. The sample included 361 participants from six industries located in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Also, we proposed structural equations models (SEM) to establish the relationships among variables. Results The questionnaires and the model showed acceptable reliability and quality indices. Emotional exhaustion was the most relevant latent variable, having significant effects on MC and on professional efficacy, and significantly contributing to increasing levels of cynicism. On the other hand, the variable social support showed a negative direct impact on Job Demands and Emotional Exhaustion. Conclusions Actions to reduce emotional exhaustion at work include providing a positive and suitable work environment through social support. These strategies help prevent MC and improve professional efficacy, life quality at work, and productivity.

Six Sigma (SS) is a production philosophy focused on human experiences and knowledge, aimed to minimize defects of products and services. The appropriate implementation of SS requires an education process, reliable data analysis, efficient didactic material, statistical techniques and human knowledge to improve communication and operational benefits. In this article, we present a structural equation model integrating those aspects as latent variables and relating them with ten hypotheses. Data for hypothesis validation were gathered among 301 manufacturing companies, and assessed using partial least squares (PLS) to estimate direct, indirect, and total effects. As results, we found that access to reliable information, trusted analysis and knowledgeable management are crucial for SS implementation at the problem definition stage. Likewise, to execute and control SS projects, it is important to be trained in statistical techniques through clear didactic materials. © 2017 by the authors.