Evaluating Advanced Manufacturing Technology in Chinese State-Owned Enterprises: A Survey and Case Studies

Abstract

This paper investigates the current and future uses and payoffs of advanced manufacturing technology (AMT) in Chinese state-owned enterprises (SOEs), based on a small-scale survey and two case studies. The main conclusion is that Chinese SOEs are very keen to implement AMT and replace their outdated equipment. However, owing to the lack of financial resources and experience, the percentage of AMT in SOEs is still very low. Those AMT methods adopted range mainly between stand-alone systems and islands of automation. AMTs are adopted in the areas of planning and controlling, information management, design and engineering, fabrication, and assembly. Implications for practice and/or future research are discussed.