Set-up reduction in pharmaceutical manufacturing: An action research study

The Japanese approach to manufacturing has been well documented. Many European firms have successfully adopted and adapted a variety of Japanese manufacturing techniques. This paper describes how a pharmaceutical manufacturer responded to an increased requirement for manufacturing flexibility through the introduction of a key Japanese manufacturing technique, namely machine set-up time reduction. An unusual feature of the study is the use of action research. The strong emphasis on participation and collaboration inherent in action research, was felt to make it appropriate to tackling the company’s capacity problem. Not only were set-up times substantially reduced, but action research demonstrated the value of all staff being involved in the problem-solving process.