Management and Production Engineering Review (MPER) is a peer-refereed, international, multidisciplinary journal covering a broad spectrum of topics in production engineering and management. Production engineering is a currently developing stream of science encompassing planning, design, implementation and management of production and logistic systems. Orientation towards human resources factor differentiates production engineering from other technical disciplines. The journal aims to advance the theoretical and applied knowledge of this rapidly evolving field, with a special focus on production management, organisation of production processes, management of production knowledge, computer integrated management of production flow, enterprise effectiveness, maintainability and sustainable manufacturing, productivity and organisation, forecasting, modelling and simulation, decision making systems, project management, innovation management and technology transfer, quality engineering and safety at work, supply chain optimization and logistics. Management and Production Engineering Review is published under the auspices of the Polish Academy of Sciences Committee on Production Engineering and Polish Association for Production Management. The main purpose of Management and Production Engineering Review is to publish the results of cutting-edge research advancing the concepts, theories and implementation of novel solutions in modern manufacturing. Papers presenting original research results related to production engineering and management education are also welcomed. We welcome original papers written in English. The Journal also publishes technical briefs, discussions of previously published papers, book reviews, and editorials. Letters to the Editor-in-Chief are highly encouraged.

This study is aimed at investigating the functionality of Visual Performance Management (VPM), along with determining the necessary features such a method should demonstrate to be an effective and meaningful tool for the development of Lean Management in an organisation. Based on the analysis of a case study in a large manufacturing organisation, a crosscutting assessment of such a system was made, a literature review proves the lack of such a comprehensive study. Six critical features of VPM were identified, they are very practical and giving many interesting insights into studied Lean method. The view emerged from empirical investigated shows VPM as of the wider functionality then only visual information exchange methodology. The VPM serves as cascade information exchange system and has substantial potential to support employee’s participation.

The study is devoted to the co-design concept which is not widely studied in the manufacturing industry area. The concept is just practiced but not theorized and not investigated enough, although it greatly deserves it because of its perspectives and advantages potential in the technology changes era. This study aims to present an investigation of literature views on co-design in manufacturing operations, with the comparison to service literature where it is widely discussed; the study also aims at in-depth investigations of co-design occurrences in two industrial cases of product development to understand their nature and circumstances. In addition, the influence of Industry 4.0 technologies and their coexistence with the concept of sustainability will also be strongly taken into consideration in the empirical part of this study. The process of the individualized production of the industrial line for animal food packing and cardboard packaging production has been studied according to case study methodology. The study demonstrates that co-design could contribute to bettering the process of new product development and achieving products more accurate for the final users’ requirements. It goes hand in hand with one of the core ideas of sustainability, which is to have long-lasting products, exploited by the customer with a high level of satisfaction for a longer time. The study implies that the technologies of Industry 4.0 could support wider and more effective co-design exploitation by manufacturing entities.

Production is becoming more customer-focused as it departs from delivering standardized mass products to market segments, and the emerging Industry 4.0 technologies render this much easier than before. These technologies enable two-way information exchange with customers throughout all the steps of product development, particularly in terms of tailor-made products. This study aims at presenting proposals of implementing Industry 4.0 technologies into the process of tailored products, where the product is customized for the customer from the start and where adjustments are also made at the manufacturing stage. The study also aims to build a concept of intensification of customer contact and to improve the process flow by applying Industry 4.0 technologies. The study’s subject is tailor-made furniture production, with individually designed products that are manufactured and installed at a customer’s facilities. The company in the study operates on a small scale. The study employs a case study methodology that shows how the process can be improved in terms of real-time effective customer contact and process flow. The huge potential of 3D visualization as well as augmented and virtual reality technologies are also demonstrated. The study concludes with several directions for further development of existing technology solutions.