Defining a framework for information systems requirements for agile manufacturing

Information systems are regarded as enablers and facilitators of the concept of agile manufacturing. Despite the growing importance of information systems in manufacturing operations, few examples in the literature have investigated the requirements of information systems to support agility. The issues addressed in this work deal with the definition of an appropriate set of information technology/information systems (IT/IS) proficiency characteristics. Moreover, the work studies the evolution of IT/IS in manufacturing and the importance of information systems to support a series of attributes widely recognised in the literature of agile manufacturing. The results enable the opportunity to start building guidelines for the identification of information systems requirements to support agility. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.