Event

The lecture examines the management of global production networks of manufacturing companies. It gives an overview of the influencing factors and challenges of global production. In-depth knowledge of common methods and procedures for planning, designing and managing global production networks is imparted.

Therefore, the lecture first of all discusses the connections and interdependencies between the business strategy and the production strategy and illustrates necessary tasks for the definition of a production strategy. Methods for site selection, for the site-specific adaptation of product design and production technology as well as for the establishment of new production sites and for the adaptation of existing production networks to changing framework conditions are subsequently taught within the context of the design of the network footprint. With regard to the management of global production networks, the lecture addresses challenges associated with coordination, procurement and order management in global networks. The lecture is complemented by a discussion on the use of industry 4.0 applications in global production and current trends in planning, designing and managing global production networks.

The topics include:

• Basic conditions and influencing factors of global production (historical development, targets, chances and threats)
• Framework for planning, designing and managing global production networks
• Production strategies for global production networks
• From business strategy to production strategy
• Tasks of the production strategy (product portfolio management, circular economy, planning of production depth, production-related research and development)
• Design of global production networks
• Basic types of network structures
• Planning process for the design of the network footprint
• Adaptation of the network footprint
• Site selection
• Location-specific adaptation of production technology and product design
• Management of global production networks
• Network coordination
• Procurement process
• Order management

• Trends in planning, designing and managing global production networks

Learning Outcomes:

The students …

• can explain the general conditions and influencing factors of global production
• are capable to apply defined procedures for site selection and to evaluate site decisions with the help of different methods
• are able to select the adequate scope of design for siteappropriate production and product construction casespecifically
• can state the central elements in the planning process of establishing a new production site.
• are capable to make use of the methods to design and scale global production networks for company-individual problems

• are able to show up the challenges and potentials of the departments sales, procurement as well as research and development on global basis.

Workload:

regular attendance: 21 hours
self-study: 99 hours

Recommendations:
Combination with Global Production and Logistics – Part 2