A framework for technology selection to support sales and operations planning in German medical technology organisations

Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) of the German medical technology sector are being challenged with competition from low-wage countries. Considering the importance of Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) in these organisations, the current trend of Smart Manufacturing (Industry 4.0), and the dearth of empirical research on both medical technology supply chains and technology-selection processes, this paper presents the outcomes of an action research (AR) study to develop and practically test a technology-selection framework to support S&OP from both intra-organisational and inter-organisational perspectives. The cooperation with the case organisation provided insights into the operational issues faced by the organisation during its implementation.