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A framework for the selection or design of production planning and control systems: a case of application

Abstract:

Choosing and designing production planning and control systems are critical tasks because they provide the means to translate the corporate strategy into direct shop floor actions. However, it is not always easy to find the correct systems for an application. This difficulty occurs if the company does not present the necessary criteria for the system, in which case the expected benefits may not be achieved. This study proposes a framework to support the selection or design of a production planning and control system (PPCS) based on the current characteristics of a company. Using relevant parameters, companies are categorized and posteriorly evaluated, identifying the negative and positive relations between the company characteristics and the principles of the evaluated PPCSs. To test the proposed framework, we apply it to determine a suitable system for Ecuadorian small and medium-sized enterprises. Simplified drum buffer rope (S-DBR) approach is found to be a suitable PPCS, and the framework suggested some necessary enhancements to resolve potential weaknesses that could arise during the application of S-DBR.