Industry 4.0 in management: IT-supported configuration of global production networks

The configuration of production networks, which have become larger and more complex in the past, has become a major challenge for companies. Due to changing conditions production networks must be adapted in ever shorter cycles and to a larger extent than in the past. In this context, conventional configuration approaches with spreadsheet programs reach their limits. In the present article, therefore, a process to configure production networks is presented that makes the increased complexity manageable by increasing the use of IT tools. The process combines the available planning data on the one hand and the knowledge and experience of the company’s internal experts on the other hand and guides the user systematically from the strategy discussion to implementation recommendation.