Organizational control in automotive sector: a Multicriteria approach. Knowledge in Digital Age

The paper proposes the testing of mathematical models of multi-criteria analysis to support the organizational control functions in the automotive sector. One of the most critical aspects of the organizational control functions for automotive companies is the definition and prioritization of problems emerging from the implementation of production cycles. This issue is relevant for the purpose of defining organizational actions that can be used alternatively to solve a problem in the most efficient way possible. The World Class Manufactring (WCM) methodology offers the automotive sector a series of tools/ to identify a problem, establish priorities among the criteria to be adopted for its resolution, find the root causes and possible remedies. This paper describes the results of the first phase of the research project "Multi-critical analysis in support of organizational control systems in the automotive sector" and focuses on the theme of "priorization of errors and analysis of critical processes with the use of tools of multieriterial analysis" The aim of the research work carried out in this phase of the project is to compare the priority definition tools provided by the WCM used in the automotive sector with the methods for selecting and defining multi-criteria priorities (MCDA). The research, in particular, starting from the study of the tools used in FCA plants for the definition of priorities and the classification of problems in order of importance, intends to develop an innovative theoretical and methodological approach focused on the use of multi-criteria methods such as AHP Sort. The use of multi-criteria methods offers, in fact, the possibility of simultaneously considering a varied set of criteria and of involving the Decision Maker and experts in the sector in the construction and definition of the multi-criteria model to support the decision. The empirical research work aims to verify the hypothesis that innovative multi-criteria analysis methodologies, inserted in the pre-existing control modules adopted in the WCM methodological paradigm, can generate the possibility for management, not only to measure and govern organizational actions with different perspectives analysis, but also to evaluate the corrective action options with respect to the strategic objectives declared prevalent.