Brian Waehrens - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Brian Waehrens

Research paper thumbnail of Supply Chain Configuration Revisited – Challenges and Strategic Roles for Western Manufacturers

Supply Chain Management - New Perspectives, 2011

Research paper thumbnail of Building Fitnes for Transfer-Transfering Manufacturing Knowledge Across Borders

Research paper thumbnail of Strategic roles of manufacturing

Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, 2007

PurposeThe challenges facing industrial enterprises include coping with an increased distribution... more PurposeThe challenges facing industrial enterprises include coping with an increased distribution of activities and the related need to deal with task interdependencies, as well as coping with uncertainty and complexity. This opens for a discussion of current thinking and practices of manufacturing and its strategic role. The aim of the paper is to explore future changes in strategic roles of manufacturing.Design/methodology/approachA review of the literature on manufacturing strategy has focused on different ways of positioning manufacturing as a means for identifying and defining the strategic roles of manufacturing in an industrial company. To understand how industrial companies have dealt with some of the global challenges and have changed their strategic roles of manufacturing over a period of 3‐7 years, interviews are carried out in six small and medium‐sized companies, representing different industries, such as textile, mechanical and electronic industries. The case stories f...

Research paper thumbnail of Exploring the Changing Roles of Western Subsidiaries in China: Balancing Global Priorities with Local Demands

International Operations Networks, 2014

ABSTRACT

Research paper thumbnail of Offshoring White-Collar Work: An Explorative Investigation of the Processes and Mechanisms in Two Danish Manufacturing Firms

The Offshoring Challenge, 2013

ABSTRACT

Research paper thumbnail of Global Operations Coevolution: Hidden Effects and Responses

The Offshoring Challenge, 2013

ABSTRACT

Research paper thumbnail of Nearshoring practices

Baltic Journal of Management, 2013

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to unravel and assess current nearshoring practices and their... more PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to unravel and assess current nearshoring practices and their outlook in the Baltic region.Design/methodology/approachThe authors draw on the offshoring and outsourcing literature and use mixed methods of enquiry, including case studies, survey techniques and secondary statistical data. Part of the empirical base of the study is an examination of three Scandinavian firms that offshore their operations to vendors in the Baltics. To provide a more complete view of the practices and processes of offshoring in the region, the authors complement the case studies of Swedish and Danish manufacturers with a survey of 55 Lithuanian vendors and other statistical data.FindingsThe paper outlines the main drivers of nearshoring for Scandinavian manufacturing firms. Based on in‐depth insights into nearshoring initiatives, the authors elucidate how the initiatives evolved and what factors affected them. The survey results reveal the perspective of Lithuanian ven...

Research paper thumbnail of The Knowledge Dimension of Production Transfer

IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology, 2010

Empirical studies in three industrial companies have revealed that even companies with many years... more Empirical studies in three industrial companies have revealed that even companies with many years of experience in production transfer tend to focus attention on planning the physical transfer and on the explicit knowledge associated with normal production. They are uncertain about capturing, transferring and developing tacit knowledge. Supported by studies of the literature it is concluded that there is a need for a more systematic approach to knowledge transfer and development to provide an accelerated ramp-up after the physical transfer. A framework will be structured around a generic set of phases of the transfer process and a distinction between the sending and the receiving organizational unit. A method for capturing the tacit knowledge embedded in a production job has been developed and tested. The framework and the method will provide a basis for preparing a master plan for knowledge transfer and development.

Research paper thumbnail of Failures to enact the future—A social practice perspective

Research paper thumbnail of Operations capabilities in global apparel value chains

... Författare: Patrik Jonsson (Institutionen för teknikens ekonomi och organisation, Logistik oc... more ... Författare: Patrik Jonsson (Institutionen för teknikens ekonomi och organisation, Logistik och transport); Anna Moses (Institutionen för teknikens ekonomi och organisation, Operations Management); Brian Vejrum Wæhrens (-); John Johansen (-). ...

Research paper thumbnail of Dynamic roles and locations of manufacturing: Imperatives of alignment and coordination with innovation

Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, 2014

Purpose – The principal objective of this paper is to relate functional nodes of production and i... more Purpose – The principal objective of this paper is to relate functional nodes of production and innovation in global operations networks. The authors aim to capture the implications of changing strategic roles and locations of manufacturing for innovation capabilities. Design/methodology/approach – The authors draw on the operations networks literature and use mixed methods of enquiry, including case studies, workshops and survey techniques. Part of the empirical base of the study is a series of workshops and an examination of 14 Danish companies that have experienced radical changes in their operations configurations. To provide a more complete view of these developments, the authors complement the qualitative methodology with a survey of an overall sample of 675 Danish and 410 Swedish companies. Findings – On the basis of the findings from the survey, the series of workshops and case studies of Danish companies presented in this paper, the authors find that although the potential ...

Research paper thumbnail of Strategic roles of manufacturing

Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, 2007

Purpose – The challenges facing industrial enterprises include coping with an increased distribut... more Purpose – The challenges facing industrial enterprises include coping with an increased distribution of activities and the related need to deal with task interdependencies, as well as coping with uncertainty and complexity. This opens for a discussion of current thinking and practices ...

Research paper thumbnail of Building Fitnes for Transfer-Transfering Manufacturing Knowledge Across Borders

Research paper thumbnail of A maturity assessment approach for conceiving context-specific roadmaps in the Industry 4.0 era

Annual Reviews in Control, 2019

Abstract The digital transformation of the production sector is setting the scene for a major ind... more Abstract The digital transformation of the production sector is setting the scene for a major industrial change. The need for supporting companies in this transformation is currently covered by several maturity models, generally operationalized through standardized questionnaires, which provide, as an outcome, an assessment of the current maturity stage and a set of general improvement recommendations according to it. However, to provide companies with a more tangible support, there is a need for more individual approach. In order to deal with this need, this paper proposes, following a design science research framework, a novel approach based on Problem-Based Learning for structuring the assessment procedure as a dialectic process. This approach aims at facilitating the contextualization of the assessed company and, consequently, the identification of context-specific improvement recommendations. The proposed approach, supported by a maturity model used for framing information collected during the assessment process, is tested in three industrial cases. Although these have been assessed at the same maturity stage, different improvement recommendations have been proposed according to contextual factors such as strategic goals, core processes and key performance indicators.

Research paper thumbnail of Overførsel af viden ved fl ytning af produktion

Empiriske studier i tre industrielle virksomheder har afsløret, at selv virksomhe-der med mange å... more Empiriske studier i tre industrielle virksomheder har afsløret, at selv virksomhe-der med mange års erfaring i at overføre produktion til andre lande hovedsagelig fokuserer på planlaegning af den fysiske overfl ytning af produktionsudstyr og fokuserer på den eksplicitte viden, der er tilknyttet produktionsfaciliteterne. Virk-somhederne synes at vaere usikre på, hvordan man indfanger, overfører og udvik-ler tavs viden. Litteraturstudier understøtter konklusionen om, at der er behov for en mere systematisk metode til at overføre og udvikle viden for at sikre en accele-reret ramp-up efter fl ytning af produktionsfaciliteter. En model med fl ere generi-ske faser gennem en fl ytteproces vil blive introduceret, og en opdeling mellem den afgivende og modtagende organisation vil blive introduceret. Der er udviklet og testet en metode til at identifi cere tavs viden og erfaringer, som er opbygget gen-nem mange år.

Research paper thumbnail of Produktion i Danmark eller udfl ytning af produktion Nye roller og ledelsesmaessige udfordringer

Med udgangspunkt i dansk møbelindustri ses naermere på to forskellige produkti-onsstrategier som ... more Med udgangspunkt i dansk møbelindustri ses naermere på to forskellige produkti-onsstrategier som reaktion på globaliseringsudfordringerne. Den ene virksomhed har bibeholdt produktionen herhjemme for at fastholde kompetencer og ikke øge kompleksiteten i logistikken. Den anden virksomhed har outsourcet produktionen for at omkostningsminimere. Artiklen belyser to helt forskellige måder, hvorpå danske produktionsvirksomheder forholder sig til globaliseringen-tilmed inden for samme branche-samt de ledelsesmaessige udfordringer, der er knyttet til den valgte strategi.

Research paper thumbnail of The Role of Evolving Task Interdependencies in the Offshoring Process

Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of record

Research paper thumbnail of A maturity assessment approach for conceiving context-specific roadmaps in the Industry 4.0 era

Annual Reviews in Control

Abstract The digital transformation of the production sector is setting the scene for a major ind... more Abstract The digital transformation of the production sector is setting the scene for a major industrial change. The need for supporting companies in this transformation is currently covered by several maturity models, generally operationalized through standardized questionnaires, which provide, as an outcome, an assessment of the current maturity stage and a set of general improvement recommendations according to it. However, to provide companies with a more tangible support, there is a need for more individual approach. In order to deal with this need, this paper proposes, following a design science research framework, a novel approach based on Problem-Based Learning for structuring the assessment procedure as a dialectic process. This approach aims at facilitating the contextualization of the assessed company and, consequently, the identification of context-specific improvement recommendations. The proposed approach, supported by a maturity model used for framing information collected during the assessment process, is tested in three industrial cases. Although these have been assessed at the same maturity stage, different improvement recommendations have been proposed according to contextual factors such as strategic goals, core processes and key performance indicators.

Research paper thumbnail of A self-assessment framework for supporting continuous improvement through IoT integration

Procedia Manufacturing, 2020

Research paper thumbnail of Strategic role of manufacturing: from reactive to proactive and from plant to network

Research paper thumbnail of Supply Chain Configuration Revisited – Challenges and Strategic Roles for Western Manufacturers

Supply Chain Management - New Perspectives, 2011

Research paper thumbnail of Building Fitnes for Transfer-Transfering Manufacturing Knowledge Across Borders

Research paper thumbnail of Strategic roles of manufacturing

Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, 2007

PurposeThe challenges facing industrial enterprises include coping with an increased distribution... more PurposeThe challenges facing industrial enterprises include coping with an increased distribution of activities and the related need to deal with task interdependencies, as well as coping with uncertainty and complexity. This opens for a discussion of current thinking and practices of manufacturing and its strategic role. The aim of the paper is to explore future changes in strategic roles of manufacturing.Design/methodology/approachA review of the literature on manufacturing strategy has focused on different ways of positioning manufacturing as a means for identifying and defining the strategic roles of manufacturing in an industrial company. To understand how industrial companies have dealt with some of the global challenges and have changed their strategic roles of manufacturing over a period of 3‐7 years, interviews are carried out in six small and medium‐sized companies, representing different industries, such as textile, mechanical and electronic industries. The case stories f...

Research paper thumbnail of Exploring the Changing Roles of Western Subsidiaries in China: Balancing Global Priorities with Local Demands

International Operations Networks, 2014

ABSTRACT

Research paper thumbnail of Offshoring White-Collar Work: An Explorative Investigation of the Processes and Mechanisms in Two Danish Manufacturing Firms

The Offshoring Challenge, 2013

ABSTRACT

Research paper thumbnail of Global Operations Coevolution: Hidden Effects and Responses

The Offshoring Challenge, 2013

ABSTRACT

Research paper thumbnail of Nearshoring practices

Baltic Journal of Management, 2013

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to unravel and assess current nearshoring practices and their... more PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to unravel and assess current nearshoring practices and their outlook in the Baltic region.Design/methodology/approachThe authors draw on the offshoring and outsourcing literature and use mixed methods of enquiry, including case studies, survey techniques and secondary statistical data. Part of the empirical base of the study is an examination of three Scandinavian firms that offshore their operations to vendors in the Baltics. To provide a more complete view of the practices and processes of offshoring in the region, the authors complement the case studies of Swedish and Danish manufacturers with a survey of 55 Lithuanian vendors and other statistical data.FindingsThe paper outlines the main drivers of nearshoring for Scandinavian manufacturing firms. Based on in‐depth insights into nearshoring initiatives, the authors elucidate how the initiatives evolved and what factors affected them. The survey results reveal the perspective of Lithuanian ven...

Research paper thumbnail of The Knowledge Dimension of Production Transfer

IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology, 2010

Empirical studies in three industrial companies have revealed that even companies with many years... more Empirical studies in three industrial companies have revealed that even companies with many years of experience in production transfer tend to focus attention on planning the physical transfer and on the explicit knowledge associated with normal production. They are uncertain about capturing, transferring and developing tacit knowledge. Supported by studies of the literature it is concluded that there is a need for a more systematic approach to knowledge transfer and development to provide an accelerated ramp-up after the physical transfer. A framework will be structured around a generic set of phases of the transfer process and a distinction between the sending and the receiving organizational unit. A method for capturing the tacit knowledge embedded in a production job has been developed and tested. The framework and the method will provide a basis for preparing a master plan for knowledge transfer and development.

Research paper thumbnail of Failures to enact the future—A social practice perspective

Research paper thumbnail of Operations capabilities in global apparel value chains

... Författare: Patrik Jonsson (Institutionen för teknikens ekonomi och organisation, Logistik oc... more ... Författare: Patrik Jonsson (Institutionen för teknikens ekonomi och organisation, Logistik och transport); Anna Moses (Institutionen för teknikens ekonomi och organisation, Operations Management); Brian Vejrum Wæhrens (-); John Johansen (-). ...

Research paper thumbnail of Dynamic roles and locations of manufacturing: Imperatives of alignment and coordination with innovation

Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, 2014

Purpose – The principal objective of this paper is to relate functional nodes of production and i... more Purpose – The principal objective of this paper is to relate functional nodes of production and innovation in global operations networks. The authors aim to capture the implications of changing strategic roles and locations of manufacturing for innovation capabilities. Design/methodology/approach – The authors draw on the operations networks literature and use mixed methods of enquiry, including case studies, workshops and survey techniques. Part of the empirical base of the study is a series of workshops and an examination of 14 Danish companies that have experienced radical changes in their operations configurations. To provide a more complete view of these developments, the authors complement the qualitative methodology with a survey of an overall sample of 675 Danish and 410 Swedish companies. Findings – On the basis of the findings from the survey, the series of workshops and case studies of Danish companies presented in this paper, the authors find that although the potential ...

Research paper thumbnail of Strategic roles of manufacturing

Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, 2007

Purpose – The challenges facing industrial enterprises include coping with an increased distribut... more Purpose – The challenges facing industrial enterprises include coping with an increased distribution of activities and the related need to deal with task interdependencies, as well as coping with uncertainty and complexity. This opens for a discussion of current thinking and practices ...

Research paper thumbnail of Building Fitnes for Transfer-Transfering Manufacturing Knowledge Across Borders

Research paper thumbnail of A maturity assessment approach for conceiving context-specific roadmaps in the Industry 4.0 era

Annual Reviews in Control, 2019

Abstract The digital transformation of the production sector is setting the scene for a major ind... more Abstract The digital transformation of the production sector is setting the scene for a major industrial change. The need for supporting companies in this transformation is currently covered by several maturity models, generally operationalized through standardized questionnaires, which provide, as an outcome, an assessment of the current maturity stage and a set of general improvement recommendations according to it. However, to provide companies with a more tangible support, there is a need for more individual approach. In order to deal with this need, this paper proposes, following a design science research framework, a novel approach based on Problem-Based Learning for structuring the assessment procedure as a dialectic process. This approach aims at facilitating the contextualization of the assessed company and, consequently, the identification of context-specific improvement recommendations. The proposed approach, supported by a maturity model used for framing information collected during the assessment process, is tested in three industrial cases. Although these have been assessed at the same maturity stage, different improvement recommendations have been proposed according to contextual factors such as strategic goals, core processes and key performance indicators.

Research paper thumbnail of Overførsel af viden ved fl ytning af produktion

Empiriske studier i tre industrielle virksomheder har afsløret, at selv virksomhe-der med mange å... more Empiriske studier i tre industrielle virksomheder har afsløret, at selv virksomhe-der med mange års erfaring i at overføre produktion til andre lande hovedsagelig fokuserer på planlaegning af den fysiske overfl ytning af produktionsudstyr og fokuserer på den eksplicitte viden, der er tilknyttet produktionsfaciliteterne. Virk-somhederne synes at vaere usikre på, hvordan man indfanger, overfører og udvik-ler tavs viden. Litteraturstudier understøtter konklusionen om, at der er behov for en mere systematisk metode til at overføre og udvikle viden for at sikre en accele-reret ramp-up efter fl ytning af produktionsfaciliteter. En model med fl ere generi-ske faser gennem en fl ytteproces vil blive introduceret, og en opdeling mellem den afgivende og modtagende organisation vil blive introduceret. Der er udviklet og testet en metode til at identifi cere tavs viden og erfaringer, som er opbygget gen-nem mange år.

Research paper thumbnail of Produktion i Danmark eller udfl ytning af produktion Nye roller og ledelsesmaessige udfordringer

Med udgangspunkt i dansk møbelindustri ses naermere på to forskellige produkti-onsstrategier som ... more Med udgangspunkt i dansk møbelindustri ses naermere på to forskellige produkti-onsstrategier som reaktion på globaliseringsudfordringerne. Den ene virksomhed har bibeholdt produktionen herhjemme for at fastholde kompetencer og ikke øge kompleksiteten i logistikken. Den anden virksomhed har outsourcet produktionen for at omkostningsminimere. Artiklen belyser to helt forskellige måder, hvorpå danske produktionsvirksomheder forholder sig til globaliseringen-tilmed inden for samme branche-samt de ledelsesmaessige udfordringer, der er knyttet til den valgte strategi.

Research paper thumbnail of The Role of Evolving Task Interdependencies in the Offshoring Process

Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of record

Research paper thumbnail of A maturity assessment approach for conceiving context-specific roadmaps in the Industry 4.0 era

Annual Reviews in Control

Abstract The digital transformation of the production sector is setting the scene for a major ind... more Abstract The digital transformation of the production sector is setting the scene for a major industrial change. The need for supporting companies in this transformation is currently covered by several maturity models, generally operationalized through standardized questionnaires, which provide, as an outcome, an assessment of the current maturity stage and a set of general improvement recommendations according to it. However, to provide companies with a more tangible support, there is a need for more individual approach. In order to deal with this need, this paper proposes, following a design science research framework, a novel approach based on Problem-Based Learning for structuring the assessment procedure as a dialectic process. This approach aims at facilitating the contextualization of the assessed company and, consequently, the identification of context-specific improvement recommendations. The proposed approach, supported by a maturity model used for framing information collected during the assessment process, is tested in three industrial cases. Although these have been assessed at the same maturity stage, different improvement recommendations have been proposed according to contextual factors such as strategic goals, core processes and key performance indicators.

Research paper thumbnail of A self-assessment framework for supporting continuous improvement through IoT integration

Procedia Manufacturing, 2020

Research paper thumbnail of Strategic role of manufacturing: from reactive to proactive and from plant to network