Sustainable industries: Production planning and control as an ally to implement strategy

Although there are many studies on strategy formulation, little research has been done on how to improve strategy implementation in industries. The focus of this study is to analyze the variables that can make Production Planning and Control (PPC) an important ally in the strategy implementation process to assist sustainable industries to be more competitive. The methodology used was multiple case study supported on interviews with production planning and control managers of six renowned Brazilian industries, considered sustainable by their concern with the social and environmental cause, beyond the economic. Using Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA), it was possible to separate these industries in three different groups by the number of employees for analysis, where PPC had a different role, and so identify the following variables that can differentiate PPC to help in the process of implementing strategy: (1) the possibility to align business and operation strategy, (2) the PPC intention to disseminate the operation strategy on the shop floor and (3) in the company, and (4) disseminate the business strategy in the company. The academic relevance is to extend the usual concept that PPC should be only involved with operation strategy and present the variables that should be focused on by PPC to assist in the process of implementing strategy in sustainable industries. The practical contribution and originality of this research are to present entrepreneurs, executives and leaders that PPC should be used more effectively in an effort to improve the process of strategy implementation, assisting sustainable industries to be more competitive. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.