Manufacturing flexibility: a strategic perspective
Article Abstract:
The strategic aspects of manufacturing flexibility are examined. A model is proposed that identifies dimensions of flexibility, their theoretical underlying assumptions, their effects on manufacturing effeciency and problems in operationalizing them. In terms of applied work, benchmarks for desired degrees of flexibility and the amounts of flexibility achieved are developed which lead to a plant procedure for alteringtypes and degrees of flexibility. A research agenda is suggested for future studies is proposed, including topics like generic flexibility strategies, flexibility dimensions, delivery methods, measurement problems and techniques in evaluating and modifying a process's flexibility. Principles for strategic research are outlined that may support mathematical model development.
Publication Name: Management Science
Subject: Business, general
ISSN: 0025-1909
Year: 1993
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
Strategic group formation and performance: the case of the U.S. pharmaceutical industry, 1963-1982
Article Abstract:
A statistical method is offered to define strategic groups within the US pharmaceutical industry between 1963 and 1982. There are differences in market shares among the strategic groups, but there is no difference in their profitability; nor are there differences in performance, whether risk or risk-adjusted. It is suggested that this must be due to performance variation within each strategic group. Strategic groups are stable phenomena, even though they do change. When strategic groups do change, it is a result of environmental factors which force alteration in scope and resource commitments.
Publication Name: Management Science
Subject: Business, general
ISSN: 0025-1909
Year: 1987
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
- Abstracts: Manufacturing strategy, business strategy and firm performance in a mature industry. Toward a taxonomy of manufacturing flexibility dimensions
- Abstracts: Interaction of strategy implementation and power perceptions in franchise systems: an empirical investigation
- Abstracts: Effort and accuracy in choice. Manufacturing strategy, environmental uncertainty and performance: a path analytic model
- Abstracts: The efficiency of the simplex method: a survey. Design and performance models for end-of-aisle order picking systems
- Abstracts: Testing behavioral simulation models by direct experiment. Dominance conditions for multivariate utility functions