Purpose

The authors’ main objective is to examine the resource alteration underlying the digital manufacturing transformation. The authors rely on the adaptation aspect of dynamic capabilities (DC) theory and their analysis shows how and why a factory adapts its resources and capabilities during digital transformation.

Design/methodology/approach

To grasp the change, the authors apply the longitudinal case study method within a revelatory case setting. The digital transformation is detailed from the perspective of a subsidiary that has played a key role in the division's digital transformation.

Findings

Analysing the revealed four stages of the transformation through the lenses of the DC components of adaptation (sensing capability, absorptive capacity, integrative capability, relational capability), this study suggests a sequence with unbalanced characteristics. Each stage starts with sensing capability, each component appears during each stage and each stage is dominated by a different component. Relying on the path dependency concept, the authors also present that the interplay between lean as an old resource stock and digital manufacturing as a new resource stock is rather a necessity, especially at the beginning of the transformation (at a corporation that pursues lean for years).

Practical implications

Digital strategy development is rather an intermediate element of the transformation, since committed personnel (or maybe their network) start bottom-up and coordinate initiatives as they sense the opportunities in the environment. Top managers should rely on their accumulated knowledge and involve them into the transfer coalition in the top-down phase of digitalization. The authors’ case also underlines that starting to experiment with novel technologies requires a solid (and usually expensive) technological and human basis. Finally, process improvement focussed developments at a high-performing factory might be just enough to deal with ever-demanding customer expectations.

Originality/value

This study is among the firsts in operations management that relies on the DC theory to follow up the digital transformation of a factory. A further valuable contribution is that the adaptation process is examined in a longitudinal case study.

中文翻译：

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数字制造之路–基于案例的纵向分析

目的

作者的主要目的是研究数字制造转型背后的资源变更。作者依赖于动态能力（DC）理论的适应性方面，他们的分析表明了工厂在数字化转型期间如何以及为何适应其资源和能力。

设计/方法/方法

为了掌握变化，作者在一个启示性案例中应用了纵向案例研究方法。从子公司的角度详细介绍数字化转型，该子公司在该部门的数字化转型中发挥了关键作用。

发现

通过对适应的直流成分的镜头（感测能力，吸收能力，整合能力，关系能力）的分析，揭示了转化的四个阶段，该研究提出了具有不平衡特征的序列。每个阶段都始于传感功能，每个组件都出现在每个阶段中，并且每个阶段都由一个不同的组件主导。依靠路径依赖的概念，作者还提出，精益作为旧资源库存和数字制造作为新资源库存之间的相互作用是必要的，尤其是在转型初期（一家追求精益的公司） ）。

实际影响

数字化策略开发是转型的一个中间元素，因为敬业的人员（或他们的网络）开始自下而上并在他们意识到环境中的机会时协调计划。高级管理人员应依靠他们积累的知识，并在数字化的自上而下阶段将他们纳入转移联盟。作者的案例还强调，开始尝试新技术需要扎实的（通常是昂贵的）技术和人员基础。最后，在高性能工厂中以过程改进为重点的开发可能足以满足不断增长的客户期望。

创意/价值

这项研究是运营管理中首批依靠DC理论来跟踪工厂数字化转型的项目之一。另一个有价值的贡献是，在纵向案例研究中研究了适应过程。