Performance and utilization factors for manual and semi-automated work

Paper in proceeding, 2013

Productivity is a crucial factor for competitiveness of manufacturing companies in high-cost countries. Productivity can be increased through better method, increased perfor-mance (speed), and increased utilization. The purpose of this article is to propose and discuss factors for increasing performance and utilization of manual and semi-automated activities at shop floor level in the manufacturing industry. These factors will be used in a model for economic analysis of productivity improvements. The theory is based on studies of productivity potentials in the Swedish manufacturing industry.