A design-oriented framework for modelling production management systems

Design-oriented modelling frameworks are intended to support design practice, by helping designers to create models of specific design problems, within a class of design problems. This paper examines the development of a design-oriented framework for the design of production management systems (PMS). It is concluded that such a framework should encourage a holistic and integrated PMS design. A holistic design acknowledges that social and technical subsystems can achieve better management performance by collaborating with one another than one can individually. An integrated design does not artificially separate the PMS from the shop-floor it manages, but rather considers the two as intertwined and complementary parts of an organizational whole. This paper postulates four key axioms to be considered for achieving such a PMS design. A dual modelling framework is then presented that supports the envisioned PMS design approach, and that further allows the use of computer simulation. Its practical contribution is analysed in an industrial case study.