Modernisation of industrial engineering. Enhanced participation of employees

This paper addresses the opportunities and barriers of and prerequisites for the participatory design approach employed in industrial engineering. It discusses the results of a research project carried out at several sites of a German car manufacturer. With the intention of involving the manufacturing workforce in the process of setting their performance targets, the management of this car manufacturer reorganised the basic principles of its time and capacity planning. The paper argues that, on the basis of a so called High-Performance Work System, this concept improves and increases the manufacturing workforce's commitment, motivation and competence.