International Manufacturing Strategy in a Time of Great Flux

The Springer series addressing Operations Management, MEOP - Measuring Operations Performance is devoting its next peer-reviewed volume to the topic of International Manufacturing Strategy and Performance. International Manufacturing is operating within a time of great flux. While off-shoring of activities dominated over recent decades, near-shoring and re-shoring are increasingly being considered and observed in practice. At the same time, technologies such as 3D-prinitng are gaining greater traction while the role of ICT and data analytics is gaining increasing prominence in the international manufacturing landscape.

While issues related to the environment are also figuring more prominently in international manufacturing considerations, uncertainty around the cost of energy has recently arisen with long-time assumptions being called into question. International manufacturing is also experiencing greater servitisation. Considerations such as those identified above raise questions around the content and direction of International Manufacturing Strategy and its impact on Performance. Accordingly, it is timely to consider the state of International Manufacturing Strategy and how it is responding to them.

This volume will focus on International Manufacturing Strategy in a time of flux. It will seek to assess the state of International Manufacturing Strategy and how recent developments, whether pertaining to configuration, technology, the environment and otherwise are impacting it in terms of its content and direction and in other ways and in its relationship to Manufacturing Performance. Contributions are invited that address the above theme focusing on the following topics. However, this is not an exclusive list and all contributions that relate to the theme will be considered.

  • The state of International Manufacturing Strategy
  • Forces influencing International Manufacturing Strategy
  • International Supply Chain Transformations
  • Changing configuration conditions and International Manufacturing Strategy
  • E2E international supply network integration
  • ICT and International Manufacturing Strategy
  • Technology disrupted international supply chains
  • Digitally-enabled customercentric supply chains
  • International Manufacturing Strategy and the Green agenda
  • The circular economy and the impact of sustainability
  • Risk and resilience of global supply networks
  • The influence of emerging technologies on International Manufacturing Strategy
  • The interplay of International Manufacturing Strategy and servitisation
  • Emerging Multinationals and their impact on International Manufacturing Strategy
  • Data analytics and International Manufacturing Strategy

The editors will select submissions for peer review.

The following are the key dates:

Proposals Submission: 01/12/2015

Proposals Acceptance: 15/12/2015

Full Paper Submission due: 15/01/2016

Editors select submissions for peer review: 15/02/2016

Reviews returned to contributors with directions from editors: 15/03/2016

Resubmissions due: 15/05/2016

Manuscript submitted to Springer: 30/06/2016

Proposal submissions should be sent to the volume editors Professor Andrea Chiarini (andrea.chiarini@unife.it ), Professor Louis Brennan (brennaml@tcd.ie) and Professor Alessandra Vecchi (alessandra.vecchi@unibo.it) no later than 1/12/15.

The book will be suitable to be used as a teaching aid in a variety of courses in different disciplines (ranging from International Business, Operations Management to Production Management) both at undergraduate and postgraduate level. Additionally the book will be relevant to academic, researchers and practitioners who have a keen interest in the manufacturing industry.