Strategic Fit of Planning Environments: Towards an Integrated Framework

Numerous studies have highlighted the importance of achieving a strategic fit between the actual planning environment and the production planning and control systems that are employed. Failing to achieve this strategic fit often leads to suboptimal solutions which in turn negatively affects production planning and control performance. Through using a literature study methodology, a comprehensive planning environment mapping framework is developed and tested through investigating five manufacturing companies. The framework also investigates the causality between planning environment variables. The results from the mapping can be used as a starting point for designing appropriate production planning and control solutions, comparing companies, and identifying possible improvement areas.