Mark Grothkopp
Title
Dr.
Last Name
Grothkopp
First name
Mark
Email
mark.grothkopp@unisg.ch
Phone
+41 71 224 72 72
22 results
Now showing 1 - 10 of 22
- Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Riding the bell curve of lean and digitalisation programme alignment – a social capital perspective(Informa UK Limited, 2025-09-24); ; ; With the rise of digital technologies, manufacturing companies pursue new performance gains.While digitalisation programmes often aim to complement lean programmes, many firms struggleto realise expected benefits when managing both simultaneously. Drawing on social capital theory,this paper focuses on the perspective of lean and digitalization program managers (L&DPMs), theiralignment challenges and strategies. We conducted a multiple case study over a 1.5-year periodanalysing 10 pharmaceutical manufacturing companies. Primary data was collected through 29semi-structured interviews, follow-up discussions and workshop observations. The robustness of ourfindings was enhanced through triangulation with 650 pages of company presentations document-ing lean and digitalisation programmes. We found that L&DPM’s alignment follows a bell-shapedchallenge trajectory across three distinct stages: loose, evolving, and close alignment. In the loosealignment stage, challenges are limited but begin to multiply rapidly, reaching their peak duringevolving alignment. As L&DPMs transition into close alignment, the continuous refinement of align-ment strategies leads to a gradual reduction of challenges. The extent to which these strategies takeroot is largely determined by the strength of social capital relationships. Our findings add nuancedunderstanding to the interrelated socio-technical management of lean and digitalisation and opennew research avenues.Type:journal articleJournal:International Journal of Production Research - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Riding the bell curve of lean and digitalisation programme alignment – a social capital perspective(Informa UK Limited, 2025-09-24); ; ; With the rise of digital technologies, manufacturing companies pursue new performance gains. While digitalisation programmes often aim to complement lean programmes, many firms struggle to realise expected benefits when managing both simultaneously. Drawing on social capital theory, this paper focuses on the perspective of lean and digitalization program managers (L&DPMs), their alignment challenges and strategies. We conducted a multiple case study over a 1.5-year period analysing 10 pharmaceutical manufacturing companies. Primary data was collected through 29 semi-structured interviews, follow-up discussions and workshop observations. The robustness of our findings was enhanced through triangulation with 650 pages of company presentations documenting lean and digitalisation programmes. We found that L&DPM’s alignment follows a bell-shaped challenge trajectory across three distinct stages: loose, evolving, and close alignment. In the loose alignment stage, challenges are limited but begin to multiply rapidly, reaching their peak during evolving alignment. As L&DPMs transition into close alignment, the continuous refinement of alignment strategies leads to a gradual reduction of challenges. The extent to which these strategies take root is largely determined by the strength of social capital relationships. Our findings add nuanced understanding to the interrelated socio-technical management of lean and digitalisation and open new research avenues.Type:journal articleJournal:International Journal of Production Research - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Integrate or separate: lean and digitalization programs through the lens of boundary work management(2024); ; ; Purpose-Although benefits are promising, many companies face problems leveraging synergies between Lean and Digitalization at the program management level. This paper aims to identify activities to manage the boundaries of Lean and Digitalization programs. Design/methodology/approach-The research design follows a cross-industry multiple-case study approach. A total of 14 interviews were conducted with Lean and Digitalization experts from 10 companies. Interview quotes were mapped on a pre-defined list of descriptive codes and iteratively merged and excluded. Findings-We identified 12 activities by which companies manage the boundaries of their Lean and Digitalization programs. Three distinct boundary management approaches could be identified: collaborative, configurational, and competitive. A collaborative approach fosters governance, the belief in synergies, and the development of combined artifacts. A configurational approach creates combined responsibilities, assesses areas of collaboration, and fosters interaction across the organization. A competitive approach creates unclear responsibilities and exchange, perceives no added value in integration and follows separated implementation of Lean and Digitalization programs. Originality/value-This study sheds light on the boundaries of Lean and Digitalization programs and identifies activities to manage them. We derive propositions for the Lean and Digitalization program management. Moreover, this study positions itself at the forefront of research investigating how integration of Lean and Digitalization actually occurs or does not occur.Type:journal articleJournal:Journal of Manufacturing Technology ManagementScopus© Citations 6 - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, The Role of Social and Technical Lean Implementation in Improving Operational Performance: Insights from the Pharmaceutical Industry(World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology, 2023); ; The objective of this paper is to examine the relationships between technical and social lean bundles as well as operational performance in the context of the pharmaceutical industry. We investigate the direct and mediating effects of the lean bundles Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), Total Quality Management (TQM), Just-In-Time (JIT), and Human Resource Management(HRM) on operational performance. Our analysis relies on 113 manufacturing facilities from the St.Gallen OPEX benchmarking database. The results show that HRM has a positive indirect effect on operational performance mediated by the technical lean bundles.Type:journal articleJournal:International Journal of Industrial and Manufacturing EngineeringVolume:17Issue:2 - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Rolling-out company-specific production systems in multinational corporations – a multilateral network perspective(2024-07); ; Company-specific production systems (XPS) have recently seen a surge of attention in industry, due to their potential to yield substantial performance improvements. Their implementation however represents a complex process that needs to be managed thoroughly to avoid potential pitfalls. This exploratory study provides a holistic overview on how to manage the roll-out of XPS in multi-plant networks of multinational corporations (MNCs), adding to the understanding of this phenomenon. Investigating the XPS roll-out in the pharmaceutical industry, this multiple-case study yields two major findings. First, companies roll-out their XPS in a deliberate sequence or create an emerging sequence through pull mechanisms. Second, site resource availability is a key determinant of the deliberate sequence. The study follows the call for more research on XPS from a headquarter perspective and extends current research beyond the bilateral headquarter-site perspective, taking a multilateral network perspective. Finally, it provides practical insights that help XPS managers in defining their roll-out roadmaps.Type:conference paper - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Evolution of Corporate Improvement Programs: a Punctuated Equilibrium Theory Perspective(2024); - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, A Holistic View On Production Systems Management(2022); ; Type:conference paperJournal:3rd Conference on Production Systems and LogisticsDOI:10.15488/12161Scopus© Citations 1 - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Manufacturing Data Analytics Study 2023 - Empirical Industry Study(Apprimus Verlag, 2023); ; Felix SohniusLooking back at the past decades, one thing becomes clear: data has had a huge impact on organizations at all levels. Whether it's statistical analyses, big data or artificial intelligence, data will shape business performance in the years to come. One the one hand, even simple analyses with limited datasets can be highly effective in helping companies make better decisions, manage and optimize business processes, gain a deeper understanding of customers, and improve products and services. On the other hand, artificial intelligence holds the promise to completely transform business models and therefore has gained the most attention. The use of data to gather information and support decision-making has become a central pillar in many companies. Data analytics provides the opportunity to extract valuable insights from data, optimize business processes, and make informed decisions. But what is the current state of Manufacturing Data Analytics in the DACH region? In order to clarify this question, we conducted an empirical study that looked at data analytics in manufacturing companies, examining four key aspects. First, we investigated how manufacturing companies develop strategies and structures for integrating data analytics into their operations. Second, we examined the characteristics of manufacturing data to understand how data can be used effectively. The dimensions analysed included data collection, storage, processing, and exploitation. Third, we examined the relationship between lean management, digitalization, and data analytics. We analysed how these strategies work synergistically to streamline and optimize manufacturing processes. Finally, we analysed the impact of data analytics on business performance. Through a detailed assessment, we derived insights into the measurable impact on a company's overall performance, highlighting how data-driven insights can significantly increase business efficiency. The results of our study highlight existing barriers and areas where further research is needed. We see this effort as a further step towards data-driven manufacturing, enabling manufacturing companies to strengthen their competitive position through higher quality and productivity.Type:book - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication,
- «
- 1 (current)
- 2
- 3
- »