Call for papers: High Performance Processes and Systems in the Automotive Industry

Call for papers: High Performance Processes and Systems in the Automotive Industry

A special issue of International Journal of Automotive Technology and Management

The automotive industry is in the midst of profound change due to a fierce and growing competition, shifts in consumer demands, high labour costs, among others. In order to combat the challenges of the 21st century, automotive manufacturers have been forced to implement high performance systems. Research clearly indicates that the high performing organisations of the future will bear little resemblance to the structures, processes, and systems of the 20th century. Those who master what creates high performance in organisations will have a competitive edge. Companies like Harley Davidson and Celestica are examples of leading companies who have purposefully designed themselves for high performance. In these organisations, there is a clear operating philosophy that clarifies the underlying beliefs, values, and principles that drive the behaviour of the organisation. The tasks, structures, information requirements, decision making, people selection training issues, support systems and processes, and reward systems are designed for high performance, recognising they are all interdependent, and all impact results.

The purpose of the special issue is to provide a forum for the dissemination of current and future activities pertaining to the role, application, and impact of high performance in the automotive sector. The focus of the issue is to highlight state-of-the-art research and applications in the field of product innovation management, new product development, intelligent customer requirements and relations, risk management, decision support, resources management, supply chain management, change management, product lifecycle analysis and engineering, etc. and their impact on high performance in the automotive sector. Specifically, we seek to explore the role of high performance in the automotive sector. What are the current trends to achieving high performance? How effective are current high performance processes and systems and the transfer mechanisms among partners? What are the drivers of high performance modeling and simulation and what are the critical success factors? What new approaches and skills are required for high performance managers? What are the barriers to effective high performance organisations and how might these be overcome?

This special issue aims to provide a forum for addressing these questions. Two types of papers are solicited:

• Theoretical research papers that provide original work on current trends and issues in high performance processes and systems.
• Applied research papers that deal with the design, implementation and evaluation of high performance processes and systems in the automotive sector.

Papers to be included in this special issue should be focused on one or more of the following subjects (although the list is indicative rather than exhaustive):

• The road to high performance through after sales
• High performance service
• High performance supply chains
• High performance work teams
• Innovative approaches to leading and managing human capital to drive high performance
• Transforming procurement for high performance
• Driving high performance through outsourcing
• High performance enabled through technology, e.g. RFID
• Transforming CRM to achieve high performance
• New approaches to product development
• Using lean six sigma to drive business results to achieve high performance
• Enterprise reporting and corporate performance management
• Advances in alternative fuel technologies
• Focusing on sustainability to achieve high performance

The special issue welcomes both empirical and theoretical contributions related to the proposed topics Case studies, surveys and papers based on empirical data are preferred; a rigorous research methodology is required, as well as a review of existing literature and adequate reference to bibliographical sources.

Important Dates
Deadline for (extended) abstract submission: 30 June 2008
Response by guest editor: 31 July 2008
Deadline for full paper submission: 30 September 2008