Linking product-process matrices for manufacturing and industrial service operations

Firms using industrial goods as a resource in their own operations need support and services to maintain the efficient use of these resources. The prevailing trend is to integrate goods and services in a product package. We take the supplier's view on the task of providing industrial services, i.e. the supply of after-sales services, including tangibles such as spare parts and consumables, related to industrial goods. We study the relationship between goods manufacturing and industrial services, aiming at an integrated approach for manufacturing and service operations decisions on process choice. In this paper, we specifically explore the linkage between goods manufacturing and service operations product-process matrices. Product, market demand and process characteristics can develop differently for industrial services relative to the manufactured good, wherefore it is important to analyse volume, variety and process issues for both manufacturing and service operations, respectively, in order to create a match between product and process characteristics. We derive a framework for process choice in joint manufacturing and after-sales service operations, and illustrate with an industrial case study. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.