著者

坂爪 裕

出版者

日本経営学会

雑誌

日本経営学会誌 (ISSN:18820271)

巻号頁・発行日

no.16, pp.95-110, 2006-04-20

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The purpose of this study is to identify the mechanisms behind advantages and conditions for successful implementation of assembly cells from the viewpoint of the theory of division of labor. In this study, the implementation of assembly cells is considered as a change in the way the division of labor takes place; that is, from a functional division of labor to a parallel division of labor. Drawing on this idea, hypotheses were extracted with respect to its mechanisms behind advantages and conditions capable of tolerating disadvantages in assembly cells. By applying these hypotheses, case studies of eight manufacturing companies in Japan were conducted. As a result of case studies, seven different types of mechanisms behind advantages were identified: 1) facilitating coordination with other functions and processes; 2) accelerating learning because of the ease of understanding whole process of work; 3) reducing the loss of the division of functions and processes; 4) reducing the adjustment required to respond to uncertain market conditions; 5) reducing the adjustment required to respond to uncertain conditions within organizations; 6) attaining increased competition through the parallel division of work; and 7) reducing the diversity within the parallel groups involved. Case studies also identified seven different types of conditions capable of tolerating disadvantages: 1) tolerating the deterioration of specialized worker skills; 2) tolerating the wasteful use of resources until the workers reach a certain level of proficiency; 3) tolerating the interruption of work when switching to another function or process; 4) tolerating the restrained development of function-specific tools and equipment; 5) tolerating the restrained use of low-cost labor that is appropriate to the level of proficiency; 6) tolerating the redundancy of resources; and 7) tolerating an increased adjustment of resources shared with the preceding and subsequent processes.