Title: Agility design and deployment framework: case of forest products industry

Authors: Dhiaeddine Boughzala; Mustapha Nourelfath; Jean-Marc Frayret; François Léger

Addresses: FORAC Research Consortium, Université Laval Quebec (QC), Pavillon Adrien-Pouliot 1065, av. de la Médecine, G1V 0A6, Canada; CIRRELT Research Centre, Université Laval, Pavillon Palasis-Prince, Room 2642, 2325, rue de la Terrasse Quebec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Laval University, Pavillon Adrien-Pouliot, local 1504, 1065 avenue de la medicine, Québec (Qc), G1V 0A6, Canada ' FORAC Research Consortium, Université Laval Quebec (QC), Pavillon Adrien-Pouliot 1065, av. de la Médecine, G1V 0A6, Canada; CIRRELT Research Centre, Université Laval, Pavillon Palasis-Prince, Room 2642, 2325, rue de la Terrasse Quebec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Laval University, Pavillon Adrien-Pouliot, local 1504, 1065 avenue de la medicine, Québec (Qc), G1V 0A6, Canada ' FORAC Research Consortium, Université Laval Quebec (QC), Pavillon Adrien-Pouliot 1065, av. de la Médecine, G1V 0A6, Canada; CIRRELT Research Centre, Université Laval, Pavillon Palasis-Prince, Room 2642, 2325, rue de la Terrasse Quebec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; Department of Mathematics and Industrial Engineering, Polytechnique Montreal, C.P. 6079, Succ. Centre-villeMontréal, Québec, H3C 3A7, Canada ' FORAC Research Consortium, Université Laval Quebec (QC), Pavillon Adrien-Pouliot 1065, av. de la Médecine, G1V 0A6, Canada; CIRRELT Research Centre, Université Laval, Pavillon Palasis-Prince, Room 2642, 2325, rue de la Terrasse Quebec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada

Abstract: This paper designs our agility framework applied to the forest products industry. We aim to provide an end-to-end process covering enterprise modelling, turbulences understanding, agility drivers' definition and finally change/actions analysis. The industrial context and the research problem are first explored. A multidimensional agility design and deployment framework is developed considering conceptual, contextual, experimental and decisional dimensions. The first two dimensions give the specification components of the agility as a high-level vision. The experimental dimension serves first to validate interactions within the model, then as a tool to assess risk, opportunities and potential solutions. The decisional dimension is then introduced as a complement to develop the ability to face unexpected changes and especially to analyse orientations. A proof-of-concept called LOGI LUMBER supply chain is used throughout the framework development. Two experimental generations were accomplished based on 15 scenarios run and analysed with our modelling and optimisation software called LogiLab.

Keywords: agility framework; agility drivers; agility deployment; agility business modelling; agility design; forest products; forestry; enterprise modelling; business turbulence; agile systems; lumber supply chains; timber supply chains; supply chain management; SCM; optimisation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJASM.2014.059160

International Journal of Agile Systems and Management, 2014 Vol.7 No.1, pp.61 - 100

Received: 09 Jan 2013
Accepted: 11 Sep 2013
Published online: 30 Jun 2014 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article