Digitalization of Shop Floor Management: In Blissful Ignorance of Superfluous Work

Abstract

With the purpose of understanding the extent of superfluous work and, thereby, suggesting managerial opportunities for reducing superfluous work, this paper focuses on decision-making processes at the shop floor level in digitalized manufacturing companies. Superfluous work is a kind of hidden waste and comprises the gap between necessary work and the work that is actually carried out, either on handling daily tasks at the shop floor, accomplishing decision-making processes, or implementing workarounds. By using an abductive approach, the research systematically combines a theoretical conceptualization of shop floor decision-making processes in smart-manufacturing with an empirical enquiry into a highly digitalized manufacturing company. The paper reveals superfluous work if the decision-making process involves collaboration across disciplines and/or organizational boundaries. Superfluous work occurs because of a lack of data and information to guide reflective thinking and knowledge sharing. In relation to highly complex decision-making, the ongoing implementation of workarounds also causes superfluous work. Prerequisites for reducing superfluous work are enhancing the accessibility of applicable data to guide reflective thinking and knowledge sharing at the shop floor level.