Evaluation of flexibility for the effective change management of manufacturing organizations

In this paper, we propose selected flexibility measures which can quantify flexibility and eventually integrate it into the change management processes of manufacturing organizations, aiming to increase effectiveness and competitiveness of the European industry. These measures can be utilized either stand-alone or integrated into a change management system to influence the change direction. A classification model supporting flexibility-related aspects is also discussed. A case study presenting a recommended integration of flexibility into a change management process is described. Additionally, a service-oriented architecture on IT level that can be adopted in order to combine the flexibility calculation with the change management is presented. The final objective is to investigate the integration of quantified flexibility indicators into the change management processes of a manufacturing organization.