Systems Theory and Evidence-Based Decision-Making as Keys for Arbitrating between Optimal Production and Efficient Maintenance: A Case Study

Organizations in the 21st century operate in evolving and highly competitive environments—such environments are catalysts for deviation in organization-planned operations, including production and maintenance. The differences between maintenance and production, in general, are well known, given the several studies found in the literature regarding industrial engineering. However, the differences between maintenance and production are becoming less significant as a result of increased understanding of the systemic approach to organizations where the whole matters more than the sum of the parts. The aim of this study was to maximize the productivity of a manufacturing factory by applying mathematical programming methods while simultaneously considering the requirements of efficient maintenance. A case study is used to show how systems theory can be used as the basis for evidence-based decision-making in a factory manufacturing line in Morocco. Despite the potential for conflict between optimal production objectives and efficient maintenance in high-performance factories, the four-month case application suggests that systems theory is a key for arbitration. Research implications are presented along with future research directions.