Flexibility in industrial organizations

Flexibility is currently the subject of a veritable social debate, while at the same time representing a major challenge for corporate competitiveness.

The vagueness and virulence of the debates surrounding flexibility prompt us to begin this article by clarifying the meaning, issues and problems specific to flexibility. We propose a definition of flexibility, illustrated by concrete examples, which distinguishes between two types of flexibility (internal and external), with radically opposed content and repercussions for both companies and employees. We are clearly in favour of the first type of flexibility (internal), as it seems to us to be the most appropriate for responding to the current constraints of industrial organization. What's more, it simultaneously offers a number of favorable opportunities for employees. It is therefore a rare opportunity to design a "win-win" strategy that is also at stake through flexibility and qualifying organization.

Following this clarification, we propose to dissect the impact of flexibility (conditions and limits) in the field of industrial organization. Following a logical design schema, we will analyze the levers of flexibility, which relate firstly to structure (stable material and human resources), then to organization (the arrangement of these resources) and, finally, to production management (flow control).

Several questions relating to each stage of the process will guide our discussion:

• in terms of structure, what is the nature and scope of the flexibility of the machines required in production (notably numerically-controlled machine tools and programmable robots), as well as that of the individuals called upon to be versatile, but under what conditions, and within what limits? To what extent do the adaptability of machines, on the one hand, and of people, on the other, complement each other to the benefit of the company's flexibility?

• what are the best ways of arranging or combining machines for flexibility (workshop organization versus line organization)? The avatars of flexible automated workshops are also discussed. The use of subcontracting, a particular form of production organization involving several companies, deserves particular attention. Indeed, it is a form of flexibility that is fully in line with the company's strategic options (make or buy) and offers a whole range of opportunities, but also presents risks;

• finally, to what extent are downstream flow management methods such as JIT (just-in-time) compatible with flexibility, and are they as radically opposed to MRP (material requirement planning) approaches as they are usually presented? Furthermore, the desire...