In many companies where CIM does not fail to realize its potential “top management’s commitment and ongoing support” is cited as a major reason. The magnitude of undertaking can be a great problem if there is not major and absolute commitment by management of the necessary time and resources. CIM installation must start from the top with a commitment to provide the necessary time; money; and other resources needed to make the changes that CIM requires.
Lack of Planning CIM success requires deliberate and careful planning of the technical element in conjunction with training from day one. Lack of understanding of the technology and suitable infrastructures to support the new technology, inappropriate matching of technology to organizational strengths and weaknesses will all contribute to top management’s failure to appreciate the promise of CIM. Organizational design is an integral part of CIM, promoting or inhibiting the implementation.
Integration Challenge Experts agree that the important issue to be addressed before CIM can become a reality is integration. The ultimate objective of CIM is the integration of all parts of the organization across the major functional boundaries. If the company environment is right, CIM can even assist in pulling together teams of people to work on project. To take full advantage of CIM’s benefits, the entire manufacturing process from product design to procurement, production scheduling, management, production and delivery must be integrated.
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