A STRUCTURED REVIEW OF COMPLEXITY IN ENGINEERING-PROJECTS State-of-research and solution concepts for the plant manufacturing business

Year 2013, Volume: 5 Issue: 1, 318 - 327, 01.06.2013

Michael Gepp Michael Amberg Jan Vollmar Thomas Schaeffler

https://izlik.org/JA67CK43SJ

Abstract

The term ‘complexity’ has been present in academic discussion and industrial
practice for many years. However, interpretations about its scope and content
differ. While research focused on the product business, a common understanding
and classification of complexity in the plant manufacturing industry are missing
yet.
Based on an extensive literature review and various analyses, this contribution
aims to describe complexity from the perspective of plant manufacturing business.
We found out that the differentiation of the dimensions multiplicity, variance,
changeability and ambiguity, as well as elements and interactions seems to be an
appropriate and suitable approach to structure complexity in an engineering
context. Further this contribution identifies causes and illustrates consequences of
complexity for a plant manufacturing company aiming for a better understanding
of complexity in the plant manufacturing business.

Keywords

standardization , research activities , systematization

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