Thesis

Development of capability maturity framework for manufacturing research centres

Creator
Rights statement
Awarding institution
  • University of Strathclyde
Date of award
  • 2021
Thesis identifier
  • T16017
Person Identifier (Local)
  • 201563889
Qualification Level
Qualification Name
Department, School or Faculty
Abstract
  • Capability development (i.e. capability maturity) processes in research centre environment have not been sufficiently examined in the literature. The literature review suggested that most relevant studies tend to focus either on academic theories that discuss improvement of industrial capabilities, or processes, validated in an industrial environment. Furthermore, literature is unclear on definition, importance and work of research centres (i.e. a clear lack of uniformity). Even though, research centres contribute to technological innovations, they have not received the same level of attention. That is why it was important to identify challenges relevant to research centres. For example, not having a standard process tailored to research centres’ needs in order to evaluate maturity of their internal capabilities. That knowledge gap was captured through three phases of interviews: 1) Exploratory study, 2) Framework development, 3) Framework modifications. Those phases were crucial as they helped to design, developed and validate Capability Maturity Framework, which introduces a standardised process for research centre. Phase 1) started with exploratory interviews to understand why existing solutions cannot be applied to research centres and also what are research centres requirements (that have not been met so far by existing solutions). The interviews involved ten practitioners from four research centres as well as three participants from two industrial manufacturing companies. Results from Phase 1) fed into Phase 2): Framework development. Interviews with sixteen practitioners from seven research centres in the UK were conducted during Phase 2). Those interviews helped to define structure of Capability Maturity Framework. That led to Phase 3): framework modifications. Phase 3 of interviews was organised to understand what format (of the framework) would be the most user-friendly and what least user-friendly aspects should be avoided. Eighteen practitioners from different teams across a research centre took part in Phase 3). Once Phases 1-3 were completed, Capability Maturity Framework was evaluated by participants from various research centres, and a few who work in industrial companies but have a close relationship with a research centre. In total 34 participants reviewed the framework. Validation findings provided evidence that the need for such a framework exist and has not been fulfilled yet by any other existing solutions. The framework not only offers new maturity scale for a research centre’ capabilities, but also transparency of information across a centre. Results from validation stage showed that there is a need for a solution that captures capability maturity in research centres, and that Capability Maturity Framework could fill that gap. Nonetheless, some findings suggest that Capability Maturity Framework could be further enhanced especially having a more robust process to manage input data. Validation findings also provided insightful foundation for improvements of Capability Maturity Framework, and for new areas of investigation. The biggest contribution of this study is the Capability Maturity Framework for research centres in the manufacturing sector. This study presents how the framework was developed and how various information sources (i.e. literature findings, interviews) influenced the design of the framework.
Advisor / supervisor
  • Wong, T. C.
  • Ward, Michael
Resource Type
Note
  • Previously held under moratorium from 6th October 2021 until 6th October 2023.
DOI

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