Digitalization of the planning system at mechanical engineering enterprises: results, problems, prospects

The article considers the issues of digitalization of the end-to-end planning system of economic forms of enterprise associations (holdings, corporations, clusters), when many enterprises at all planning levels should work in one technical and methodological planning system. The purpose of this study is to substantiate the digitalization of the end-to-end planning system in the machine-building holding, including enterprises of single and small-scale production type. Based on a review of domestic and foreign studies in the field of planning from the 1920s to the present day, the following stages of informatization of the planning process are considered: the use of mechanical engineering tools, computerization, digitalization; the relevance of the transition of the planning system of machine-building holding to the stage of digitalization based on certain effects; the problems of digitalization; the inevitability of changes and the need to give these changes a positive content of modernization. From the point of view of digitalization, the elements of the planning system and their interrelations are identified: data, indicator, process, competence, tools. To ensure the creation of an end-to-end planning system, four stages of the cyclic process of changing (modernizing) the planning system in the digital environment are proposed: measurement (1) and evaluation (2) of the planning system performance, design (3) and implementation (4) of the planning system modification. The stages are considered in relation to the holding's enterprise (or enterprises) and to the planning system element. Changing the planning system element within the stage of changing the planning system itself is also considered as a cyclic process consisting of four stages. The results of the study were tested on two machine-building holdings. As a result of testing, it was largely possible to implement the proposed recommendations and achieve the declared effects of digitalization of the end-to-end planning system in the machine-building holding. At the same time, problems limiting the full achievement of the goals were identified. The problems of interfunctional interaction regarding planning in the digital environment determined the directions of further research. The study is useful for managers and specialists of machine-building holdings in the functions of planning, production, development, information technology (IT); as well as employees of IT and consulting companies that develop and implement planning systems in the digital environment.