Through-life management: the provision of total customer solutions in the aerospace industry

The concept of through-life management, a complex combination of manufacturing and service operations, is being widely promoted throughout the aerospace industry. However, there is no clear understanding of how this approach is being implemented in practice. This paper presents the findings of an exploratory study undertaken within the aerospace industry which investigates the drivers for through-life management, the development of strategies and services to support through-life management and the transition of aerospace companies to through-life total service providers. The paper concludes by highlighting the theoretical and practical implications of this research.