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An empirical study of flexibility in manufacturing
... It is important therefore that the assessment of flexibility for a manufacturing company as well as for a supply chain should relate the ability and the requirements to be flexible. Classified manufacturing flexibility Suarez et al (1995) argued that a company's competitiveness is determined by its ability to answer the need from the market in terms of quality, efficiency and flexibility. Implicitly, a company does not need to be very flexible if the market does not require it. ...
... The need for flexibility is largely determined by the operating and environment characteristics of a supply chain. Suarez et al. (1995) pointed out that more volatile markets, shorter product life cycle (PLC) and more sophisticated buyers have all contributed to flexibility's emergence as a new strategic imperative. Other aspects such as uncertainty and global competition are also considered as factors behind the need for flexibility. ...
... Although, the industry is operating efficiently to a large extent, it appeared the market does not require high flexibility. This is consistent with Suarez, et al (1995) findings that a company does not necessarily need flexibility if the market does not require that. 5.3 To assess the product flexibility of printing presses in Kumasi. ...
The capacity to adjust to changes in product mix, production volume, or design and often reaction to environmental uncertainty to meet the demands of the end consumer has been overlooked by many organisations in Ghana. The study sought to empirically; examine supply chain flexibility practices within the print industries in Kumasi, Ghana. Furthermore, it was envisaged that the causes of the industries' inability to be flexible with supply chain variables were identified and appropriate solutions found to effectively integrate supply chain flexibility. It is hoped that the findings would help the print industries in Kumasi to make informed decisions to improve their businesses and gain competitive advantage. The study employed quantitative approach with multiple cases to examine the supply chain flexibility within the print industries in Kumasi. Primary and secondary data were used for the study. The primary data was sourced through Self-administered questionnaire during the months of May and June, 2013. The questionnaire was sent to sixty (60) small and medium-sized print industries in Kumasi within three clusters in Kumasi. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the quantitative data with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and Microsoft Excel 2007 Software. The study revealed that the Sourcing and product flexibility were relatively low whilst delivery flexibility was comparatively high. Finally, the management of the print industries, particularly those in Kumasi should give serious attention to supply chain flexibility by putting measures in place to address the problems of low sourcing and product flexibility and also improve the standard of delivery flexibility.
... Manufacturing flexibility literature suggested various factors that influence flexibility level of an organisation ( Jack and Raturi, 2002;Chang et al., 2005Chang et al., , 2007Salvador et al., 2007;Hallgren and Olhager, 2009). In an early literature, Suarez et al. (1995) stated that despite the popularity of FMS, the flexibility is also related to non-technological factors, such as workers involvement in problem solving groups, supplier relationship and the extent of component reusability in the product design. In a subsequent study, Suarez et al. (1996) empirically tested strategic use and implementation of manufacturing flexibility. ...
... A total of five different sources of environmental uncertainty area, namely competitor, technology, supplier, consumer and macro-economic was examined in this study (Chang, 2012;Mishra et al., 2017). Similarly, different criteria directly adopted from the literature were used to evaluate volume strategies adopted by firms (Table IV) (Suarez et al., 1995;Chang et al., 2005;Oke, 2005;Salvador et al., 2007). ...
... Firms were evaluated for elements that facilitate supplier responsiveness strategy based on criteria as suggested by various studies. These elements include close-integration with major suppliers (Swink et al., 2007), geographical proximity of suppliers/localisation (Suarez et al., 1995(Suarez et al., , 1996, mutual trust (Pérez and Sánchez, 2001), long-term relationship with suppliers (Suarez et al., 1995(Suarez et al., , 1996 and internal process integration with logistics providers (Zhang et al., 2005). The semi-structured interviews with participants revealed that localisation/geographical proximity of suppliers, close-integration with major suppliers, mutual trust, long-term relationship with suppliers and internal process integration with logistics providers were adopted by firms to enhance volume flexibility. ...
Purpose
The study explores different drivers and volume flexibility strategies employed in manufacturing firms. It also examines contingent factors, which determine volume flexibility requirement in manufacturing firms.
Design/methodology/approach
Using multi-case study approach, the study examines and analyses drivers, strategies and contingent factors that affect volume flexibility in four Indian manufacturing plants belonging to automobiles, auto ancillary, fashion apparel, electrical industry.
Findings
The empirical analysis suggests various drivers of volume flexibility and different strategies employed by firms to enhance flexibility. The study also illustrates various contingent factors that determine the need of volume flexibility in firms.
Research limitations/implications
The sample of the study is majorly confined to the northern region of India. Methodologically, the analysis is solely based on the qualitative data.
Practical implications
The study suggests practitioners to consider a range of contingent factors, while evaluating the need of volume flexibility in manufacturing plants. Rather than relying on a single strategy, a mix of strategies should be used to develop volume flexibility in firms.
Originality/value
The identification of a range of strategies employed by volume flexible firms as well as contingent factors that need to be evaluated before employing volume flexibility are the major contributions of this study.
... This relationship is even more pronounced when the strategies are generated from the strategic planning process, since the tool itself tends to restrict the flexibility of internal processes, which is precisely one of the criticisms of the organizational tool in question (POISTER, 2010). Given that the organizational structure corresponds to the total amount of ways in which the work is divided into several tasks and how they are coordinated (MINTZBERG, 2008), the organizational structure must be suitable to the environment which it is inserted in (VOLBERDA, 1998(VOLBERDA, , 2004SUAREZ;CUSUMANO;FINE, 1995). ...
... This relationship is even more pronounced when the strategies are generated from the strategic planning process, since the tool itself tends to restrict the flexibility of internal processes, which is precisely one of the criticisms of the organizational tool in question (POISTER, 2010). Given that the organizational structure corresponds to the total amount of ways in which the work is divided into several tasks and how they are coordinated (MINTZBERG, 2008), the organizational structure must be suitable to the environment which it is inserted in (VOLBERDA, 1998(VOLBERDA, , 2004SUAREZ;CUSUMANO;FINE, 1995). ...
... This relationship is even more pronounced when the strategies are generated from the strategic planning process, since the tool itself tends to restrict the flexibility of internal processes, which is precisely one of the criticisms of the organizational tool in question (POISTER, 2010). Given that the organizational structure corresponds to the total amount of ways in which the work is divided into several tasks and how they are coordinated (MINTZBERG, 2008), the organizational structure must be suitable to the environment which it is inserted in (VOLBERDA, 1998(VOLBERDA, , 2004SUAREZ;CUSUMANO;FINE, 1995). ...
This article aims to analyze the relationship between the strategic planning process and organizational structure in the reality of a complex organization: the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Santa Catarina (MPSC). The research is set by the single case study research strategy and data were collected through the following instruments: bibliographical research, documentary research, semi-structured interviews and systematic observation. The conclusion indicates that the phases of the strategic planning process influence and are influenced by the elements of the organizational structure and highlights the confluences, the impacts and similarities between the stages of formulation and implementation of the strategic process with the various constituent elements of the organizational structure.
... Similarly, studies have examined the role of workforce-related factors in achieving manufacturing flexibility (Suarez et al., 1995;Jack and Raturi, 2002;Oke, 2005, Mishra et al., 2016. Flexible working practices, such as temporary workforce, over timing, multi-skilling are considered important for manufacturing flexibility ( Jack andRaturi, 2002, Oke, 2005;Salvador et al., 2007;Mishra et al., 2016). ...
... Flexible working practices, such as temporary workforce, over timing, multi-skilling are considered important for manufacturing flexibility ( Jack andRaturi, 2002, Oke, 2005;Salvador et al., 2007;Mishra et al., 2016). Multi-skilled workforce is better able to deal with demand variations caused due to changes in demand of quantity and varieties of products (Suarez et al., 1995). Similarly, temporary workers and flexible wage system positively increase firms' ability to deal with volume fluctuations (Suarez et al., 1996). ...
... Oke (2005) Yes Multi-skill training and workforce capabilities (also referred as cross-skill) Suarez et al. (1995), Oke (2005) and Jack and Raturi (2002) Yes Opportunities for employee participation Suarez et al. (1995) (2000), Zhang et al. (2006), Mishra et al. (2014a, b) and Chiarini and Vagnoni (2015) Yes Advanced manufacturing technologies for planning and control Vokurka and O'Leary-Kelly (2000), Zhang et al. (2006), Mishra et al. (2014a, b) and Chiarini and Vagnoni (2015) Yes Advanced manufacturing technologies for integration Vokurka and O'Leary-Kelly (2000), Zhang et al. (2006), Mishra et al. (2014a, b) and Chiarini and Vagnoni (2015) Yes Advanced manufacturing technologies for product and process design Slack, (1988 ...
Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to analyse and compare the status of manufacturing flexibility adoption, its barriers and adoption practices in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and large firms in India.
Design/methodology/approach
– Using mixed methods sequential explanatory design, this study employs survey responses from 121 firms, followed by 16 semi-structured interviews to investigate and explain the status of manufacturing flexibility adoption, barriers to adoption and practices adopted to achieve flexibility in SMEs and large firms in India.
Findings
– The study suggests that awareness of manufacturing flexibility concept in SMEs is considerably low and application of manufacturing flexibility is still at embryonic stage. It was found that both SMEs and large firms employ manufacturing flexibility, but they differ with respect to their emphasis on adoption practices used to achieve flexibility. SMEs emphasize entrepreneurial orientation and flexible human resource practices to achieve flexibility, whereas large firms emphasize practices such as technological capability, sourcing practices and integration practices to achieve flexibility. The study also illustrates barriers that hinder manufacturing flexibility adoption at plant level in India.
Research limitations/implications
– The study is cross-sectional in nature and is limited to specific regions of India. The use of subjective measures in survey questionnaire is another limitation of the study.
Practical implications
– Practitioners should consider combinations of adoption practices to achieve the desired level of manufacturing flexibility. It is also important to give due consideration to barriers before considering manufacturing flexibility adoption.
Originality/value
– The findings contribute to the manufacturing flexibility and SMEs research by providing insights into manufacturing flexibility adoption from the developing economy perspective and by widening the scope of existing research into SMEs.
... It is important therefore that the assessment of flexibility for a manufacturing company as well as for a supply chain should relate to the ability and the requirements to be flexible. Suarez et al (1995) argued that a company's competitiveness is determined by its ability to answer the need from the market in terms of quality, efficiency and flexibility. Implicitly, a company does not need to be very flexible if the market does not require it. ...
... The need for flexibility is largely determined by the operating and environment characteristics of a supply chain. Suarez et al. (1995) pointed out that more volatile markets, shorter product life cycle (PLC) and more sophisticated buyers have all contributed to flexibility's emergence as a new strategic imperative. Other aspects such as uncertainty and global competition are also considered as factors behind the need for flexibility. ...
Flexibility indeed has become a competitive weapon in the business world. The increase in competition has made supply chain flexibility even more important emerging issue for businesses. However, many companies around the world give little attention to flexibility within supply chains. This eventually affects performance and competitiveness of those businesses. This study sought to empirically; examine information systems flexibility and performance that leads to competitive advantage within the print industries in Kumasi. The study envisaged that the causes of the industries" inability to be flexible with information flow be identified and appropriate solutions found to curb the problems of poor performance. The study employed quantitative approaches with multiple cases to examine the information systems flexibility and performance on supply chain within the print industries in Kumasi. Primary and secondary data were used for the study. The primary data was sourced through Self-administered questionnaire through sixty (60) respondents in print industry in Kumasi within three clusters. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and Microsoft Excel 2007 Software. The study revealed that, the sixty print industries stood strong in terms of supply chain performance and the information systems flexibility was comparatively high. The study also revealed that there was a positive correlation between information systems flexibility and performance. It is recommended therefore that, the management of the print industries, particularly in Kumasi should give consideration to information systems flexibility by putting measures in place to build strong information infrastructure that is robust and can respond quickly to market demand and forces to improve the standard of information systems and try to maintain high performance.
... Olhager (1993) discussed several means including set-up time reduction, slack capacity, multipurpose workforce, and modular product design to achieve manufacturing flexibility. In an empirical study, Suarez et al. (1995) investigated a range of enablers affecting volume, product-mix, and new product flexibility. These factors are technology, production management technique, human resource management, supplier relationship, and product development process. ...
... In many industries, sharing demand data with suppliers can account for cost reduction in the range of 12-23 percent (Lee et al., 2000). Suarez et al. (1995) concluded that unique combination of investments in human resources, supplier relations, and product design practices maximizes flexibility performance. Supplier involvement in planning and goal-setting activities further prepares manufacturing firms to deal with upcoming orders in advance. ...
Purpose
The objective of this paper is to empirically test and verify the enablers of volume flexibility and product-mix flexibility and to assess the influence of these flexibilities on operational performance.
Design/methodology/approach
A research framework consisting of nine pairs of hypotheses was developed using an extensive literature review. Using a self-administered questionnaire, 391 responses were collected, and these responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and structural equation modeling techniques.
Findings
The findings empirically confirm the enablers of volume flexibility and product-mix flexibility. The proposed model explained 59 percent variance in volume flexibility and 63 percent variance in product-mix flexibility. Volume flexibility and product-mix flexibility together explained 38 percent variance in operational performance.
Research limitations/implications
Theoretically, this study advances flexibility literature in two significant ways. First, the study conducts first of its kind quantitative empirical investigation considering upstream, downstream, and internal integration practices as enablers of volume flexibility and product-mix flexibility. Second, this study adds to the flexibility literature by suggesting the positive influence of volume and product-mix flexibility on the operational performance of firms.
Originality/value
The study reinforces the role of enablers in the development of volume and product-mix flexibilities. Thus, the study provides a comprehensive view of flexibility enablers that can be used as a diagnostic tool, which practitioners can use to assess and deploy flexibility.
... In dynamic and complex environments, with as many and diverse customers as competitors, the maxim is to constantly and consistently review product performance, methods, and polices used in attracting customers as well as outmaneuvering competitors, if the company is to stay in the lead. To achieve the aforementioned is no easy feat, and requires an organization with time, new product, volume-mix flexibility capabilities (Suarez et al. 1995). This is precisely what has made Nokia Corporation to maintains its leadership in the Cell phone sector. ...
... Flexible firms are found to have programmable technologies, production management techniques, such as Just In Time, which enable such firms to have low, machine set-up times, higher worker participation in production process, handle more complex mix and make it easier to introduce new products. Success is also attributed to increased volume flexibility, closeness of the relationship between the firm, on one hand, and its suppliers and subcontractors, on the other, and use product development process that employ design for manufacturability principles (Suarez et al. 1995). There is possibly no company better than Toyota Corporation in this regard, the number one car producer in the world. ...
This article attempts to identify the key factors that underpin thesuccess of firms in conditions of economic distress. Such factors encompass astute management with the skill and experience in a variety of competitive moves and maneuvers; adoption of low-cost -low price strategies; more use of scenario planning rather than mere replication of past company actions; sufficient liquidity to exploit opportunities availed by economic downturn;and exploiting the advantages of knowledge management. Better incorporation of information technology, proper use of currency risk management methods, smart globalization that incorporates both government and non-government elements, favors the formation of joint ventures with local businessmen, and investment of ample time in the understanding the customs, values, and traditions of local societies elevate company’s com-petitive advantages over rivals which enhances the company’s capacity to deal with economic distress. It is incontrovertible, however, that the success of firms must be backed by strong and appropriate macroeconomic management by governments with respect to fiscal, monetary and trade policies.
... Beginning with non-technological resources, critical analysis of this research line reveals that most of their works analyse and test the direct and positive 1 effect of various non-technological resources on the dependent variable "flexibility" (path R 1 Fig. 2), as well as the mediating effect of flexibility on the resources-performance relationship (path R 2 Fig. 2). In contrast, the research analysing the moderating effect of flexibility on the non-technological resources-performance relationship 2 (path R 3 Fig. 2), or the mediating effect of some resources, -i.e., resources for innovation, on the flexibility-performance relationship 3 is Cellular manufacturing systems management [184][185][186][187][188][189][190]181,[191][192][193][194], Simulation tools development [195][196][197][198][199][200][201][202][203][204][205][206][207][208] Technology implementation effects [308][309][310][311][312][313][314][315][316][317][318][319][320][321][322] Tradeoffs between flexibility types [323][324][325][326][327][328][329]143,330,331] scarcer (path R 4 Fig. 2)-. Notwithstanding the limited presence of theoretical foundations for the establishment of these relationships Resource Based View (RBV) and contingency theory emerge as relevant approaches. ...
... Our review shows that there is partial and limited empirical evidence on both intra-level (i.e., [305,325]) and inter-level flexibility relationships (i.e., [331,329]) and their effect on performance. Addressing this research gap requires studies that analyse all the flexibility linkages supported by theory, suggesting two additional opportunities for the research agenda: ...
This work proposes a systematic literature review on manufacturing flexibility that provides a broad map of the main investigated research issues in manufacturing flexibility and future research opportunities on the topic. A sample of 284 academic articles published in peer-reviewed international journals up to 2017 constitutes the knowledge base of the study. This sample is analysed through the combination of two complementary methods: 1) a co-words bibliometric technique to identify the thematic sub-fields as well as their relative standing and 2) a critical reflection based upon an in-depth reading of each of the articles that compose the subfields previously identified with the purpose of interpreting the intellectual structure of the research. This information makes it possible to identify trends and deficiencies in this context, providing well-structured information helping to centralise the efforts required for future work. Based on information from the literature, this paper proposes a theory-based research agenda that summarises different axes of development for future investigations within the field.
... Diante das discussões identificadas na literatura, a presente pesquisa parte do princípio de que as novas práticas organizacionais estão relacionadas à compreensão estratégica das Análise do potencial de flexibilidade estrutural: o caso de uma cooperativa de trabalho organizações; logo, visam à constante adaptação ao ambiente em que estão inseridas (SUAREZ; CUSUMANO;FINE, 1995;VOLBERDA, 1996). Assim, quanto mais dinâmico é o ambiente, mais orgânica deve ser a estrutura organizacional. ...
... Diante das discussões identificadas na literatura, a presente pesquisa parte do princípio de que as novas práticas organizacionais estão relacionadas à compreensão estratégica das Análise do potencial de flexibilidade estrutural: o caso de uma cooperativa de trabalho organizações; logo, visam à constante adaptação ao ambiente em que estão inseridas (SUAREZ; CUSUMANO;FINE, 1995;VOLBERDA, 1996). Assim, quanto mais dinâmico é o ambiente, mais orgânica deve ser a estrutura organizacional. ...
Esta pesquisa visou analisar o potencial de flexibilidade estrutural de uma Cooperativa de Trabalho Médico sob a ótica da coalizão dominante. Caracteriza-se como uma pesquisa qualitativa, com objetivo de caráter descritivo, delineada pela estratégia de pesquisa de estudo de caso único. Os dados foram coletados a partir de entrevistas semiestruturadas, pesquisa documental e observação direta sistemática. Constatou-se que o ambiente no qual a Cooperativa atua é dinâmico e complexo, sobretudo em decorrência do mercado ser regulamentado pela Agência Nacional de Saúde Suplementar e da entrada de novos concorrentes, além dos aspectos sociais, culturais e econômicos que permeiam qualquer segmento de mercado. Este contexto tende a exigir maior potencial de flexibilidade das organizações. Entretanto, mesmo atuando neste contexto e se tratando de uma cooperativa, os resultados da pesquisa indicam o predomínio de aspectos mecanicistas. A flexibilidade da estrutura está associada ao seu grau de mecanicidade: quanto mais mecânica, menos flexível. O processo de gestão cooperativista, o porte da organização e a utilização do Sistema de Gestão da Qualidade são aspectos que restringem o potencial de flexibilidade estrutural deste estudo de caso.
... Strategic flexibility is the ability of the firm to respond promptly to changing demands that then allow the firm to remain competitive (Hitt et al. 1998). Fundamentally, SF implicates the ability to address short-term fluctuations in demand, raw material shortages, or equipment failures (Carlsson 1989) and to reduce the complexity involved in producing a variety of products (Suarez et al. 1995). In addition, SF enables firms to easily adapt to a changing environment and to seize new market opportunities as well as to deliver successful new products (Kandemir and Acur 2012). ...
The development of innovative green products that can compete in unpredictable markets is a challenge for manufacturing firms. Hence, firms need to reconfigure their strategies by considering and strengthening the appropriate set of internal capabilities to achieve effective green product development. Therefore the initiatives implemented by firms in relation to their green practices and green innovation are attracting increasing scholarly attention. However, thus far only a few studies have explicitly explored the relationship between the proactive capabilities of manufacturing firms in the context of green product innovation. Thus, this study investigates the environmental proactivity (EP) and strategic flexibility (SF) of firms, and how these proactive capabilities affect green product innovation (GPI). In addition, it explores the role of GPI in enhancing product competitive advantage (PCA). The data for this study was obtained from 157 respondents representing manufacturing firms in Malaysia. Structural equation modelling was used for the statistical analysis. The results showed that SF partially mediates the relationship between EP and GPI, which indicates that SF facilitates GPI implementation. The results also revealed that GPI acts as a full mediator between SF and PCA, proving that GPI is the crucial factor that can translate SF into competitive advantage. Thus, based on the dynamic capabilities perspective, this study offers insights into the importance of flexibility and innovation in the context of green manufacturing as a means to enhance green product features and remain competitive in the market.
... En effet, le développement et le maintien de la compétitivité passe par une adéquation harmonieuse entre contraintes internes et changements externes(Miller et Shamsie, 1996).En dépit de son importance, les types de la flexibilité ainsi que leurs définitions n'ont pas été largement acceptés(DeToni et Tonchia, 2005). Selon l'approche stratégique, une entreprise développera un avantage compétitif en créant une certaine flexibilité au prisme de choix stratégiques diversifiés.Sanchez (1993) affirme que cette phase de coordination est relative aux capacités de définir, configurer et déployer les ressources existantes grâce aux systèmes et processus organisationnels(Sanchez, 1995).En outre, bien que la flexibilité fasse l'objet d'une attention toute particulière dans la littérature du management stratégique, peu d'études empiriques traitent les antécédents mais également de ses bienfaits sur l'organisation(Dreyer et Gronhaug, 2004 ;Fiegenbaum et karnani, 1991 ;Suarez et al., 1995).Chapitre 2 : Le rôle de la planification par scénarios dans le développement des compétences organisationnelles : étudier ses effets sur la flexibilité et l'orientation entrepreneuriale. ...
La planification par scénarios est devenue un outil organisationnel extrêmement populaire. Elle stimule la réflexion stratégique et contribue à surmonter la pensée limitée à travers l’imagination de futurs multiples. Son objectif est de comprendre l’environnement mais encore évaluer les options stratégiques en dépit des scénarios proposés. Malgré cette popularité, force est de constater que très peu de travaux ont traité ses bienfaits sur l’organisation. L’objectif de cette recherche est, donc, l’étude de son impact sur le développement de la flexibilité et l’orientation entrepreneuriale. Notre recherche s’appuie sur une étude quantitative menée auprès de 133 cadres évoluant dans le secteur social et médico-social en France. Les résultats font apparaître une relation positive entre la planification par scénarios, la flexibilité stratégique et l’orientation entrepreneuriale.
... Kumar et al. (2019) developed structural model for the factors affecting the FMS flexibility using ISM approach. Dixon (1992) and Suarez et al. (1995) carried out an empirical study for measuring flexibility in manufacturing. Chang et al. (2003) investigated the empirical relationship between business strategy and manufacturing flexibility to evaluate its effect on the improvement of business performance. ...
In the current scenario of competitive and highly volatile market conditions, industries relay more on flexibility than on standardization of production. Many researchers have advocated the use of Flexible Manufacturing Systems to meet the challenges of global competition. Despite the potential benefits offered by FMS, their adoption rates are relatively slow, especially in developing countries like India. The conventional manufacturing industries are still reluctant in adopting these newer techniques of manufacturing although today there is much support from government and need for adoption due to cut throat global competition. The main reason for this is the lack of enough literature showing its implementation and stepwise adoption process. There is an utmost need for a generalized procedure showing the implementation process which is suitable for any kind of traditional industry which wants to adopt FMS. In this paper, an attempt has been made to propose a generalized methodology named as ‘LAPTOP’ to evaluate the transition of a conventional manufacturing system into FMS. A case study has been presented to validate the proposed methodology.
... As electronic products are being developed to be increasingly small, light and thin, flexible printed circuit boards (FPCB) have been extensively applied in several fields (flexible displays and flexible sensors) for their small size, light weight, static bending and dynamic folding and curling [1][2][3][4]. Conductive ink, as a vital material of FPCB, has aroused huge attention in electronic technology [5,6]. On the whole, conventional conductive inks consist of binders, conductive materials, solvents and relevant additives. ...
In the present study, a high-performance n-type temperature sensor was developed by a new and facile synthesis approach, which could apply to ambient temperature applications. As impacted by the low sintering temperature of flexible polyimide substrates, a screen printing technology-based method to prepare thermoelectric materials and a low-temperature heat treatment process applying to polymer substrates were proposed and achieved. By regulating the preparation parameters of the high-performance n-type indium oxide material, the optimal proportioning method and the post-treatment process method were developed. The sensors based on thermoelectric effects exhibited a sensitivity of 162.5 μV/°C, as well as a wide range of temperature measurement from ambient temperature to 223.6 °C. Furthermore, it is expected to conduct temperature monitoring in different scenarios through a sensor prepared in masks and mechanical hands, laying a foundation for the large-scale manufacturing and widespread application of flexible electronic skin and devices.
... The proposed explanatory variables have been: the percentage of components used in several products (COM), the networking activities with customers and suppliers as a dummy variable (NETW), the percentage of turnover invested in technological activities (R&D) and the number of industrial robots by 100 workers (ROB). The percentage of common components (COM) is expected to explain positively the degree of participation in teamworks because the modularity makes possible teamworking techniques such as concurrent engineering or design cross-functional teams (Suarez et al. 1995 supplier involvement in component design is in need of cross-functional teams from the developing companies. Finally, it is expected that automation (ROB) is negatively correlated with teamworking because more automated companies are less flexible. ...
The automotive industry has undergone tremendous transformation during the 1990s. One of them is the importance of knowledge-sharing networks to access to technology, innovation and training. Firms having a strong supplier network report higher levels of productivity and quality than those reporting weak alliances over time.
However, very few empirical studies exist on the relationship between networking and production and process innovation. This paper tests the underlying relationship between lean production and networking.
... De acuerdo con Robbins y Judge (2009), la productividad es fundamental para el logro de los objetivos de las organizaciones, para su desempeño económico y su permanencia en el tiempo, motivo por el cual, las empresas necesitan identificar estrategias en su modo de gestionarla con el fin de afrontar determinados retos a los que la competencia, el entorno y el mercado las compromete. Entre los principales retos se encuentran: la rapidez en los tiempos de entrega, el desarrollo e innovación de productos, entregas en lotes pequeños y más frecuentes, precios con tendencia decreciente, calidad de cero defectos y alta fiabilidad en los productos (Suárez, Cusumano y Fine, 1995). ...
Introducción.
Actualmente las empresas industriales enfrentan el desafío de identificar e implantar nuevas técnicas organizacionales y de producción que les permitan competir en un mercado global. Así, el modelo de fabricación esbelta se ha convertido en una alternativa para elevar la productividad y desarrollar competencias de manufactura que incidan en su competitividad. Sin embargo, se desconoce el efecto que aporta cada una de las herramientas de manufactura esbelta al logro de la productividad.
Objetivo.
Proponer un modelo conceptual que identifique el peso relativo que aporta la implantación de cada una de las herramientas de manufactura esbelta a la productividad.
Materiales y métodos. El modelo conceptual parte de una revisión de literatura, donde para ello, se sigue una secuencia ordenada y metodológica para garantizar que el desarrollo de este artículo tenga relevancia en la ciencia y su aplicación.
Resultados.
En esta investigación las herramientas de manufactura esbelta que más indicen en la productividad de las empresas son: 5S, mantenimiento productivo total, el justo a tiempo (JIT), Kaizen, Kanban, cambio rápido de modelo (SMED) y el mapeo del flujo de valor (VSM) con un peso de 15, 14, 13, 12, 9, 9 y 7 % respectivamente. Además, los indicadores que mejor miden la productividad son los relacionados con la eficiencia, la efectividad y los factores internos.
Conclusiones.
La principal contribución de este artículo es la propuesta de un modelo conceptual sustentado en evidencia teórica que identifica las herramientas de manufactura esbelta más utilizadas para incidir en la productividad de una organización.
... These determinants are called supply chain flexibility drivers. [16], pointed out that more volatile markets, short product life cycle (PLC) and more sophisticated buyers have contributed to flexibility's emergence as a new strategic imperative. ...
Companies nowadays face complex, continuously changing and uncertain environment through accelerating technological changes, global competition, innovation, rise in customer demands and expectations, expansion of market and other factors has necessitated firms to adopt supply chain flexibility in their operations to cope with the uncertainties in the business environment to meet the fluctuations in demand. Flexibility in supply chain management creates an opportunity for the firms to improve its operational scope in order to achieve competitive advantage. Adoption of the flexibility strategies helps companies to increase their market share and growth and stay in competitive business. Some of the flexibility measures include product development cycle time, product variety and customer requirements disparity. The study seeks to determine the supply chain flexibility drivers and the extent to which these drivers have influence on the supply chain performance in the bottling water industry in Ghana. Questionnaires were employed as a tool to collect the primary data from the field and the secondary data were collected from Internet and articles. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were adopted. The study was limited to the bottling water industry in the Kumasi Metropolis due to its geographical location and availability of market. The findings indicated that existing products must be modified to attract customers. The study recommends among others that there should be product modification, avoiding shortage of raw materials and customer complaints should be handled tactically in order to attract customers and increase sales.
... In response to this problem, our project team is developing a multisided platform, which will facilitate such interaction and will reduce In contrast to other design research methods, such as March and Smith (1995) or Peffers et al. (2007), which follow the paradigm "build and then evaluate" in a separate phase (Sein et al. 2011, p. 39), action design research instead produces IT artifacts that "emerge from the contexts of both their initial design and continual redesign via organizational use" (Sein et al. 2011, p. 52). Indeed, cooperation between practitioners, end users, and In general, flexibility is multidimensional (Suarez et al. 1995). Golden and Powell (2000, p. 377), for instance, identify temporality, range, intention, and focus as dimensions of flexibility in supply chain management. ...
Platform-based ecosystems are omnipresent in today’s world. This doctoral thesis focuses on cloud computing, which is an emerging platform-based ecosystem that companies adopt in their IT strategy quickly. Actors in cloud computing often create value by adding functionality to services already existing in the ecosystem. This development is likely to transform cloud computing toward complex, globally distributed networks, consisting of many different actors and connections. In the doctoral thesis I define those structures as cloud networks. For general platform-based ecosystems, Tiwana et al. (2010) and de Reuver et al. (2018) each set up a research agenda for platform-based ecosystems. I contribute to four proposed research items: (1) Tiwana et al. (2010) demand research on how platform architecture influences the dynamics in ecosystems and modules. (2) de Reuver et al. (2018) emphasize research on the question regarding how actors strategize, i.e., think strategically, about a situation or business in platform environments, as interconnected thinking is particularly important for decision makers. (3) de Reuver et al. (2018) demand research on how platform providers can jointly shape platforms with other stakeholders of the platform. (4) Tiwana et al. (2010) emphasize research on how the fit between platform architecture and platform governance influences the dynamics of ecosystems and modules. The doctoral thesis consists of five papers that directly contribute to these research items. By providing a taxonomy of actors, a taxonomy of risks, as well as a reference model that enables the instantiation interactions between actors in cloud networks, it provides a tool that enables the illustration of dynamics in cloud networks. Next, it illustrates strategies for companies in platform-based ecosystems and provides guidance for ITgovernance with respect to the specific characteristics of cloud networks. Also, it analyzes how customers can utilize cloud spot prices to monetarize their temporal flexibility. To illustrate the shaping of platforms, the dissertation describes preliminary design principles for a power flexibility platform that many companies develop jointly in a publicly funded research project. By analyzing the utilization of cloud spot prices and by describing preliminary design principles for the power flexibility platform, the thesis further guides actors on how to utilize digital options in platform environments, and it provides decision support for specific scenarios which could transfer knowledge to the general context of platform-based ecosystems. Finally, the doctoral thesis analyzes how platform governance influences the dynamics in platform-based ecosystems and provides guidance for IT-governance with respect to the specific characteristics of cloud networks.
... Introduction Suarez et al. (1996) defined flexibility in manufacturing as the ability to vary production parameters with little or no impact on product quality and manufacturing efficiency. Narasimhan & Das (1999) have defined flexibility as the ability of a productive system to rapidly change production parameters without considerable effort or exaggerated resource involvement. ...
Resumo
O objetivo deste artigo foi entender como a flexibilidade pode auxiliar grandes empresas focais da indústria calçadista compradoras de materiais que serão usados em produtos de moda a atender a demandas de mercado, principalmente de mercados internacionais. Foram estudadas duas cadeias de suprimentos da indústria da moda, uma localizada no Brasil, outra na China. O método de pesquisa foi o estudo de caso múltiplo. Foi construída uma estrutura de construtos e dimensões que descreveu os vários níveis de flexibilidade que podem ser observados em cadeias de suprimento. Quatro construtos de flexibilidade foram considerados: flexibilidade operacional, tática, estratégica e de cadeia. Uma variável dicotômica dependente, de saída da estrutura, foi alocada: a orientação de mercado, que pode ser por diferenciação ou por redução de preço. Vinte e quatro empresas dos dois países participaram do estudo. Os achados sugerem que a flexibilidade operacional pode ser influenciada pelos custos de mão de obra e de equipamentos e pelo nível de tecnologia empregado e que a flexibilidade operacional influencia os demais níveis de flexibilidade. Também sugerem que flexibilidade de cadeia pode influenciar o tipo de competição. Um modelo para futuras pesquisas sobre flexibilidade foi apresentado.
... Still, there has been a felt need for comprehensive frameworks to incorporate flexibility. Taking the case of some plants in printed circuit board industry, Suarez et al. (1995) have empirically tested a framework to take care of different types of flexibility and their interrelationships. ...
The paper deals with the situation of manufacturing of customized engineering products under intense competitive environment. Such customized engineering products can be manufactured by different types of production systems such as job production, batch production, mass production, and flexible manufacturing systems. It then becomes an important decision to choose the best one among these production systems which is also dependent on multiple criteria. The three basic criteria predominantly considered in the context of manufacturing are cost, quality, and flexibility. The paper applies the efficient interpretive ranking process (IRP) as an interpretive multi-criteria ranking method to demonstrate its utility in this context. It considers the design of the decision problem by treating the cross-interaction matrix of ‘Alternatives × Criteria’ as a unit matrix, i.e. each alternative is linked with each criterion. In this type of decision problem, the IRP method is implemented with transitive dominance relationships. Further, it carries out the sensitivity analysis concerning different ordinal weights of various criteria. The paper also makes a methodological contribution in IRP by way of computing dominance index rather than simply considering net dominance (which would be either positive or nil or negative). The dominance index gives a better depiction of the dominance of one alternative over the others.
... Suarez [27,28] expounded the concept that the several flexibility types express their effects on the so-called basic flexibilities, or first order, that is: mix, volume, new products and delivery, which are realized directly by consumer, directly affecting the strategic positioning in the market. ...
Organizations are invariably subject to several weather in their production processes, such as machine breakdowns, absenteeism, demand variation, among other types of negative occurrences. As a solution, or at least minimizing unwanted effects of these problems, several authors recommend the adoption of Manufacturing Flexibility. This being so, the Manufacturing Flexibility can exist at different levels of the organization and in different types, and each type may contain different aspects. Given the complexity of the issue and seeking to deepen the knowledge of Manufacturing Flexibility, it was executed an empirical research on an equipment industry, analyzing the main dimensions of the flexibilities required for the studied company, in order to prevent the problems that occur in your industrial production process. As results it is observed various types of flexibility that are not demanded by the undertaking, which allows to conduct efforts and investments to those flexibility dimensions that are really necessary, providing reduction of efforts, costs and time.
... An organisation obtains flexibility by increasing the levels of internal and external flexibility available to it by increasing its ability to manage human resources. The importance of the human element in creating flexibility is shown by Suarez et al. [FFSF95] who admits that high worker involvement and flexible wage schemes provide organisations with more flexibility than the flexible IT they use. ...
Task delegation presents one of the business process security leitmotifs. We currently observe a move away from predefined strict workflow modelling towards dynamic approaches supporting flexibility on the organisational level and dynamic authorisation on the security level. One specific approach is that of task delegation. Delegation defines a mechanism that bridges the gap between both workflow and access control systems. There are two important issues relating to delegation, namely allowing task delegation to complete, and having a secure delegation within a workflow. Delegation completion and authorisation enforcement are specified under specific constraints. Constraints are defined from the delegation context implying the presence of a fixed set of delegation events to control the delegation execution. In this dissertation, we aim to reason about delegation events to model task delegation and to specify delegation policies dynamically. To that end, we present an event-based task delegation model to monitor the delegation process. We then identify relevant events for authorisation enforcement to specify delegation policies. Subsequently, we propose a task-oriented access control model to address these requirements. Using our access control model, we analyse and specify delegation constraints into authorisation policies. Moreover, we propose a technique that automates delegation policies using event calculus to control the delegation execution and to increase the compliance of all delegation changes in the existing policy of the workflow
... Organizational flexibility is considered as one of the performance indicators of GSCM. Organizational flexibility refers to the ability of an organization to adjust with the instabilities of the market (Suarez et al. 1995). The existing literature gives a perception of a positive relationship between implementation of GSCM practices and organizational flexibility. ...
The increase in the environmental pollution is one of the most important topic in today's world. In this context, the industrial activities can pose a significant threat to the environment. To manage problems associate to industrial activities several methods, techniques and approaches have been developed. Green supply chain management (GSCM) is considered one of the most important “environmental management approach”. In developing countries such as Pakistan the implementation of GSCM practices is still in its initial stages. Lack of knowledge about its effects on economic performance is the reason because of industries fear to implement these practices. The aim of this research is to perceive the effects of GSCM practices on organizational performance in Pakistan. In this research the GSCM practices considered are: internal practices, external practices, investment recovery and eco-design. While, the performance parameters considered are: environmental pollution, operational cost and organizational flexibility. A set of hypothesis propose the effect of each GSCM practice on the performance parameters. Factor analysis and linear regression are used to analyze the survey data of Pakistani industries, in order to authenticate these hypotheses. The findings of this research indicate a decrease in environmental pollution and operational cost with the implementation of GSCM practices, whereas organizational flexibility has not improved for Pakistani industries. These results aim to help managers regarding their decision of implementing GSCM practices in the industrial sector of Pakistan.
... In addition, the role of manufacturing flexibility may depend on the market environment (Merschmann and Thonemann, 2011;Suarez et al., 1995;Davis, 1993;Fisher, 1997;Lee, 2002;Strader et al., 1998;Vickery et al., 1999). The new generation of information technology, in particular, is increasing competitive intensity in the market environment by reducing the customer's search cost for new suppliers. ...
With the increasing significance of the business model in a connected economy, a new stream of literature has turned to explore the antecedents of business model design. Beyond external antecedents derived from a rational positioning view, little research has investigated the role of internal manufacturing flexibility. Based on theory of constraints and business ecosystem theory, this examines how manufacturing flexibility affects efficiency- and novelty-centred business model designs and consequent firm performance. We propose and test eight hypotheses using data from one hundred and eighty-six manufacturing firms in China. The results indicate that manufacturing flexibility promotes both efficiency- and novelty-centred business model designs and subsequent firm performance. Furthermore, the relationship between manufacturing flexibility and an efficiency-centred business model design is strengthened by competitive intensity but weakened by demand heterogeneity. In contrast, the relationship between manufacturing flexibility and novelty-centred business model design is weakened by competitive intensity but strengthened by demand heterogeneity.
... We measure the degree of flexibility by the number of variants that the resource can produce and refer to a resource that can handle n variants as n-flexible. Such a measurement is consistent with the notion of "mixed flexibility" defined in Suarez et al. (1995). Because a more flexible resource often requires a higher initial investment such as designing more complex systems, we assume that the fixed cost, K T (n), is (weakly) increasing in n with K T (0) = 0. ...
... Organizational and strategy studies suggest that GD enables firms to reduce uncertainty and ultimately improve firm value due to the risk portfolio effect (Gerwin, 1993;Suarez et al., 1995). Real options theory argues that MNCs have a distinct advantage over pure domestic firms due to the possession of a portfolio containing switching options. ...
Purpose
Literature indicates that global geographic diversification (GD) has mixed effects on a multinational corporation’s (MNC) performances. The purpose of this paper is to examine how an MNC’s GD influences its stock market and financial performances directly and indirectly via operational performance (i.e. changes in inventory levels).
Design/methodology/approach
Using firm-level data collected from Compustat database for the period 2000-2011 and estimating a mediating regression model, the authors examine the direct and indirect effects of GD on an MNC’s stock market (Tobin’s q ) and financial performances (ROA), with inventory level being a mediator. Additionally, the examination is implemented separately under two economic situations: financial crisis vs without financial crisis.
Findings
The results show that GD enhances an MNC’s stock market performance, while deteriorating its financial performance in the presence of a financial crisis. In contrast, GD has little direct impact on an MNC’s stock market and financial performances during periods without financial crisis. The indirect effects of GD are mediated by changes in inventory levels.
Practical implications
This study suggests that MNCs need to carefully weigh the benefits and costs of global strategy obtained through GD. The results also indicate that GD is highly appreciated by the stock market investors during economic downturns and tighter inventory management may further enhance firm values.
Originality/value
This paper is the first empirical research to estimate both direct and indirect effects of GD via inventory in the operations management literature, highlighting the value of GD depending on the different economic situations and echoing the role of operations in implementing GD.
... We measure the degree of flexibility by the number of variants that the resource can produce and refer to a resource that can handle n variants as n-flexible. Such a measurement is consistent with the notion of " mixed flexibility " defined inSuarez et al. (1995). Because a more flexible resource often requires a higher initial investment such as designing more complex systems, we assume that the fixed cost, K T (n), is (weakly) increasing in n with K T (0) = 0. ...
... Pengukuran fleksibilitas produk baru dapat diukur dengan menghitung waktu yang dibutuhkan (dalam satu bulan) mulai tahap desaign produk sampai tahap produksi batch pertama dari produk yang dapat dijual. Semakin sedikit waktu yang dibutuhkan berarti fleksibilitas produk baru semakin besar (Suarez, 1995). Berdasarkan uraian di atas, hipotesis yang diajukan adalah: H2: Terdapat pengaruh positif antara komitmen sumber daya dengan orientasi strategi Inovasi Produk Ferrier (2001) menyatakan bahwa inovasi adalah hasil dari agresivitas bersaing merupakan respon cepat yang dibutuhkan untuk menghadapi tantangan bersaing. ...
This study aims to examine the effect of environmental factors and commitment in determination of product innovation-oriented strategy to improve marketing performance. Subjects were owners of gold jewelry craft SMEs in Jepara Margoyoso village. Research data, which is the primary data, collected through a questionnaire instrument. 50 SME owners craft gold jewelry as a sample drawn by the census method. With path analysis and using SPSS 14 software, this research instrument has been validated with the results so significant that it can be to test eight hypotheses that are developed based on theory. Based on hypothesis testing, seven hypotheses are estimated proved significant, alpha 5%. Only the commitment of resources does not affect the performance of marketing. Product innovation has the greatest direct impact on marketing performance. Environmental factors have a negative impact on product innovation. Keyword: Environmental factors, the commitment of resources, product innovation, performance Abstrak Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menguji pengaruh Faktor Lingkungan dan komitmen dalam penetapan strategi berorientasi produk inovasi untuk meningkatkan kinerja Pemasaran. Subyek penelitian adalah pemilik kerajinan perhiasan emas UKM di desa Jepara Margoyoso. Data penelitian, yang merupakan data primer, yang dikumpulkan melalui instrumen kuesioner. 50 pemilik UKM kerajinan perhiasan emas sebagai sampel yang ditarik dengan metode sensus. Dengan analisis jalur dan menggunakan SPSS 14 perangkat lunak, instrumen penelitian ini telah divalidasi dengan hasil signifikan sehingga dapat untuk menguji hipotesis yang dikembangkan berdasarkan teori. Berdasarkan uji hipotesis, tujuh hipotesis terbukti signifikan, alpha 5%. Hanya komitmen sumber daya tidak mempengaruhi kinerja pemasaran. Inovasi produk memiliki pengaruh langsung terbesar pada kinerja pemasaran. Faktor lingkungan memiliki inovasi yang negatif terhadap produk. Kata kunci: Faktor lingkungan, komitmen sumber daya, inovasi produk, kinerja
... When a manufacturing firm faces a massive volume demand, the presence of cross-trained people will assist in such situation, as people will be moved from one section to the other to complement one another until such situation is brought under control and the people can be moved to another section to perform another task. This result confirms studies which recognised the importance of human resource for development of volume flexibility capability (Suarez et al., 1995;Kathuria and Partovi, 1999;Braunscheidel and Suresh, 2009;Taj and Morosan, 2011). ...
A lack of workforce agility has been reported as one of the main reasons that some enterprises have difficulty keeping pace with markets and technological changes. Shortage of research on the consequences of workforce agility can be one of the main reasons for inconsideration about workforce agility in SMEs. In order to contribute to this debate, this research investigates whether and how extent workforce agility is a critical factor for promoting external manufacturing flexibility, as a key component in dynamic environment. The study is conducted by gathering sample from 161 Iranian SMEs. Supporting the hypotheses, the results suggest workforce agility enhances new product, mix, and volume flexibility. Moreover, testing the relationship between external manufacturing flexibility dimensions shows that mix flexibility encourages volume and new product flexibility in the SMEs.
... Flexibility and changeability in manufacturing and assembly have been emphasized as major competitive concerns in industrial operations management [10] and their improvements are frequently considering an important issue of SMEs. Manufacturing and assembly flexibility and changeability choices made by firms are aimed to improve competitiveness when faced with rapid changes [11,12]. With globalization, companies are forced to consider international markets, to answer to local market requirements and to support technical standards and changes in the law [13]. ...
Increasingly complex market dynamics due to unpredictable forecasts and shorter innovation cycles require maximum flexibility from production companies and their manufacturing systems. A manufacturing system should not only produce high-quality products at the lowest possible price; it should also be able to react quickly to market changes and consumers preferences. After the implementation in large enterprises belonging to the automotive sector and other related sectors, the concept of flexibility and changeability has been introduced in small and medium-sized enterprises (SME). In recent years, the concept of flexibility and changeability was object of research and industry. Current research in manufacturing pays great attention to flexibility and changeability in manufacturing and assembly systems. Therefore, research and investigations are needed to analyze the requirements for the design of flexible and changeable manufacturing and assembly systems in SMEs in order to define simple and practically suitable design guidelines. This research analyzes the nature of environmental changes, which SMEs are currently facing, due to a questionnaire-based survey. This research paper summarizes the results of the survey, executed with 27 SME companies in North Italy, showing the main requirements for the design of flexible and changeable manufacturing and assembly systems.
"Examining The Effect of Production Flexibility on The Industrial Buying Process and Suggesting A Supplementary Model"
The purpose of the research is to determine whether there is a relationship between production flexibility, supplier selection, performance, long-term collaboration, and trust. Additionally, the study aims to investigate which aspect among product mix flexibility, volume flexibility, change flexibility, and expansion flexibility has a greater impact on the supplier selection process. The main objective of the research is to explore the influence of 'Production Flexibility' on the functioning of the 'Industrial Purchasing Process' and to contribute to the model of 'Industrial Buyer Behavior' developed by Sheth (1973) by incorporating 'Production Flexibility' into the model.
Tematem książki jest elastyczność finansowa w dwóch formach: elastyczności gotówkowej i elastyczności zadłużeniowej. Autorka bada ich wzajemne relacje oraz czynniki wpływające na elastyczność finansową w przedsiębiorstwach. Łączy podejście teoretyczne i empiryczne. Przeprowadzone przez nią badania pozwalają określić wpływ poszczególnych cech przedsiębiorstwa na jego elastyczność finansową. Autorka podejmuje udaną próbę sprecyzowania warunków prawno-finansowych, w których elastyczność finansowa jest kształtowana w określony sposób. Uwzględniono następujące warunki: niepewność otoczenia, ograniczenia finansowe, możliwość rozwoju przedsiębiorstwa, jego zyskowność i wydajność gotówkową oraz poziom ochrony inwestorów na rynku finansowym.
This article aims to analyze the adaptability construct in its nature and development. First, it provides an analytic study about the adaptability literature integrating to a classification based on different areas of business. Likewise, these contributions are classified in two categories: general and specific and five subcategories: strategic, structural, human talent, production and marketing approaches. Next, a dynamic model is used for representing the flexible and rigid organizational behavior for confronting a changing environment. Then, a second model developing this construct is offered with three important moments: ex-ante, in-action and ex-post as conditions of adaptive organizational behavior. In the end, a reflection about consequences of these structures is added.
According to the extant literature, improving the leanness of a production system boosts a company’s productivity and competitiveness. However, such an endeavor usually involves managing multiple, potentially conflicting objectives. This study proposes a framework that analyzes lean production methods using simulation and data envelopment analysis (DEA) to accommodate the underlying multi-objective decision-making problem. The proposed framework can help identify the most efficient solution alternative by (i) considering the most common lean production methods for assembly line balancing, such as single minute exchange of dies (SMED) and multi-machine set-up reduction (MMSUR), (ii) creating and simulating various alternative assembly line configuration options via discrete-event simulation modeling, and (iii) formulating and applying DEA to identify the best alternative assembly system configuration for the multi-objective decision making. In this study, we demonstrate the viability and superiority of the proposed framework with an application case on an automotive spare parts production system. The results show that the suggested framework substantially improves the existing system by increasing efficiency while concurrently decreasing work-in-process (WIP).
Manufacturing flexibility is widely recognized as a critical component to achieving a competitive advantage in the marketplace. A comprehensive look at the empirical research pertaining to manufacturing flexibility highlights the very fragmented nature of this body of work. We present a comprehensive contingency‐based framework for examining the content related issues involving the relationships and variables included in past studies. We also examine several important research design/methodology issues (e.g., sampling, data collection and measurement) and propose solutions to some identified problems.
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present a systematic review of flexibility, to identify the gaps in theory and to propose a future research agenda.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper combines a systematic review and thematic analysis of scholarly articles of flexibility. The articles are analyzed to explicate the dynamics of flexibility in service operations. Thematic analysis was done using NVIVO 10.0 to identify key approaches, trends and future research agenda.
Findings
The review reveals ten different themes that highlight the future research avenues and points out that an integrative framework to assess the field of flexibility, particularly in developing countries, is largely missing in the literature. The study also provides a set of research questions to enhance its explanatory power.
Research limitations/implications
Articles that explicitly mention “flexibility” were only included, however, there may be several unexploited areas regarding the influence of different variables on flexibility. The study is based on the inductive analysis of 650 published articles on flexibility retrieved from the electronic database. The framework proposed in the study is conceptual and requires empirical testing in future research.
Originality/value
The study synthesizes the flexibility literature and contributes to a set of ten distinct themes that extricate the dynamics of flexibility. The study provides a comprehensive review of the relevant articles and identifies the theoretical gaps in the research area of service operations flexibility that can be used by academia and industry for promoting flexibility.
The aim of this study is to identify the conditions of implementation for reconfigurability in summarizing past flexible manufacturing systems (FMS) research by drawing overall conclusions from many separate High Performance Manufacturing (HPM) studies. Meta-analysis will be applied to links between HPM programs and their practices related to FMS and manufacturing performance with particular reference to responsiveness performance. More specifically, an application of meta-analysis will be made with reference to two of the main steps towards the development of an empirically-tested theory: testing the adequacy of the measurement of variables and testing the linkages between the variables.
Nachhaltig und Geschäftsprozesse sind häufig benutzte Schlagworte der heutigen Zeit, vor allem in Politik und Wissenschaft. Auch deren Verbindung nachhaltige Geschäftsprozesse hat Aufnahme in den allgemeinen Sprachgebrauch und Wortschatz gefunden. Das Ziel nachhaltiger Geschäftsprozesse ist es, die Effektivität und Effizienz des Unternehmens langfristig zu verbessern, ohne die Wettbewerbsfähigkeit des Unternehmens zu beinträchtigen. Nachhaltige Geschäftsprozesse fokussieren dabei insbesondere auf drei unterschiedliche Aspekte: Ökonomie, Ökologie und Soziales. Diese Aspekte sind unter dem allgemeinen Grundsatz der Nachhaltigkeit zu betrachten und in das bestehende Management zu integrieren. Auch dieses funktionale Managen von Geschäftsprozessen oder der Nachhaltigkeit ist zwischenzeitlich wissenschaftlich bearbeitet worden. Dessen Umsetzung in der Wirtschaft lässt jedoch zu wünschen übrig. Diese Arbeit hatte sich daher zur Aufgabe gemacht, das funktionale Managen, d. h. das Planen, das Steuern und Kontrollieren von nachhaltigen Geschäftsprozessen in einen Kontext zu bringen. Dabei wurde unter den Gesichtspunkten der Effektivität und der Effizienz geprüft, ob für dieses komplexe Management ein separates Konzept notwendig wird. Es wurde daher untersucht, ob sich mit dem Geschäftsprozessmanagement die Nachhaltigkeitsaspekte planen, steuern und kontrollieren lassen. Zur Prüfung dieser These wurden die deutschen Automobilhersteller als Validierungsobjekte herangezogen.
In this paper , a microcomputer based approach to retrofit old industrial machines is studied, the old electronic command is based on discrete logic devices or 8 bits microprocessors. The major problems of this design are: no flexibility of the system, risk to loose the operating program stored in EPROM’s, and the cost of maintenance.
Three solutions for this type of problem have been investigated, which are the use of a microcontroller, the use of an Industrial Programmable Automata (IPA) , and finally the use of a general purpose Personal Computer(PC). In each solution we provide the advantages and inconvenient, then we choose the best fit solution depending on type of industrial machine.
As an application , we renovated an old industrial machine based on 8 bits microprocessor INTEL 8085 where the mechanic, hydraulic , and pneumatic parts are healthy , however the electronic components were defected. Principally, the operating program could have been damaged. We chose the solution based on PC in order to reduce the price of the conception. The input/output cards and the power supply card of the old system
Article focuses on showing the importance of financial management in creating the flexibility of the company and identifying conditions affecting the decision on the company’s financial flexibility. This paper reviews existing literature and provides a definition of financial flexibility which emphasizes its multidimensionality. The article discusses the potential benefits of maintaining financial flexibility and choice of factors shaping it. The article presents a decision on the financial flexibility formation as a result of two groups of factors—the company’s need for flexibility and the capability of its creation.
Agility is a set of capabilities and competencies that an organization should be have until can be thrive and prosper in a continuously changing, unpredictable business environment. At first, in this paper is presented a model for achieving organizational agility and then suggests a knowledge-based methodology for measuring agility. Therefore every organization for achieving to agility must have numbers of capabilities (e.g. responsiveness and flexibility) and competencies (e.g., rapid prototyping) and every one of capabilities and competencies were broken to some dimensions and every one of dimension to some indices. To measuring agility we use "IF {Fuzzy antecedents} THEN {Fuzzy consequent}" rules. This system uses expert knowledge and consists of implementation of Fuzzy Logic methods and terminology to measure organization agility at Iran Electronic Industry.
Das Konzept der strategischen Unternehmensnetzwerke als interorganisationale Kooperationsform erfreut sich, gemessen an den theoretischen als auch praxisorientierten Abhandlungen, in jüngster Zeit einer stetig wachsenden Aufmerksamkeit.50 Obschon der wissenschaftliche Zustand prinzipiell einem juvenilen Forschungsgebiet gleicht, bleibt zu konstatieren, dass die Netzwerkforschung in besonderem Maße ein geradezu verwirrend breites Spektrum divergierender, nicht selten sogar widersprüchlicher Begrifflichkeiten und Konzepte hervorgebracht hat. Ein erstes Anliegen ist daher die Schaffung eines tragfähigen Fundaments, indem die inhaltlichen Konturen des Konzepts strategischer Netzwerke zu identifizieren und deutlich herauszuarbeiten sind. Zu diesem Zweck wird in systematischer Weise zunächst eine begriffliche Präzisierung strategischer Netzwerke51 angestrebt (Abschn. 2.1.1), bevor zur weiteren Orientierung aus dem Dickicht an Netzwerktypologien drei unterschiedlich ansetzende, in sich jedoch relativ schlüssige Klassifikationsansätze zusammenfassend dargestellt werden (Abschn. 2.1.2). Die Begriffsschärfung wird mit einer Abgrenzung (vermeintlich stark) verwandter Konzepte abgerundet (Abschn. 2.1.3).
This paper deals with the determination of the optimal logistic chain for the spare parts preservation for the nuclear civil plants. Since a nuclear power plant is designed for a use during at least 30 years, the question relative to the availability of the parts, to be used a long time after the plant design, is crucial and strategic. In other words the question is: “how to preserve the spare parts and where?”
The former points out the fact that we have to choose the preservation technologies in accordance with the parts particularities; the latter rises a localization problem. We examine in this paper the nuclear parts lifeline, by the means of the description of the main aspects. Using a systemic approach for the problem modeling, we build a set of representation models. The global preservation modeling proposed is this paper is a result of the interactions between the company (the logistic chain), the spare parts, the technological solutions for the preservation, the nuclear power plants and the warehouses. Each of the listed components of the system is presented by using the concept of “calling cards”. In addition to these formalizations, we suggest a driving model for the objectives and the constraints. The objectives are then transformed to a combinatorial optimization problem solved using simulated annealing and tabou search algorithms.
These functional models have been implemented in a computer platform (micro-cost). The validation of the systemic approach and the numerical results has been done by the study of a real case (industrial) stemming from the civil nuclear area.
The manufacturing industry has been far from immune from global business changes. In fact, in many countries it was the hardest hit of any economic sector. Some industries, employing thousands of workers, have virtually disappeared. Enthusiasts will remember the great names of the British motorcycle industry — BSA, Triumph, Norton, Matchless, AJS — the factories that produced them worked at capacity in the 1950s, enjoyed prosperity in the early 1960s, and went on to almost total oblivion by 1975. In the US, “hog heaven”, the home of the Harleys, almost went the same way. The Japanese moved into the UK and emphasized motorcycling for pleasure and excitement; oil drips, vibrations and regular mechanical adjustments were unacceptable. In some cases the Japanese harnessed existing designs and features (some even pre-WW II) and revamped them for the 1960s, established excellent after-sales service, and built up the technology to mass produce machines at low cost, consistent high quality, and with relatively unskilled labour.1 With a very few exceptions, Japanese technology now dominates the motorcycling world.
IEl elevado ritmo de cambio en los entornos y en las actividades exige a las empresas ser lo más flexibles posible. Pero no siempre está claro qué significa ser flexible. Por esto, este artículo revisa de qué formas puede ser flexible una organización, en general, y en sus recursos humanos, en particular. Además se reordenan los elementos que delimitan la flexibilidad laboral y organizativa, alienándolos dentro de la estrategia empresarial, de forma que se pueden identificar las oportunidades que ofrece cada una de ellas por separado y su conjunto como estrategia. En primer lugar, se explica qué es una empresa flexible, para entrar a continuación en los elementos de flexibilidad laboral de una organización: flexibilidad salarial, flexibilidad en el lugar de trabajo (movilidad geográfica y teletrabajo), flexibilidad funcional y flexibilidad numérica (interna y externa). Finalmente, se analizan las posibles actitudes que puede adoptar la empresa ante la flexibilidad laboral.
Die Rahmenbedingungen des betriebswirtschaftlichen Handelns — gerade auch im industriellen Bereich (Hansmann (2006) — sind durch starke Veränderungen gekennzeichnet. Galt es in den letzten Jahrzehnten, vor allem Strukturen zu schaffen, in denen die Optimierung der Kosten und Abläufe unter dem Aspekt der „Lean Production“ eine wesentliche Aufgabe war (Pfeiffer/Wei (1992), liegt heutzutage eine hoch komplexe und dynamische Umwelt vor, die geänderte Herausforderungen mit sich bringt. Aufgrund der verstärkten Arbeitsteilung und der regionalen Verschiebung der Märkte und Produktionsstätten sollten die Strukturen mittlerweile nicht mehr nur möglichst „schlank“, sondern auch besonders robust gestaltet sein. Denn diese hoch komplexen Strukturen, die sich letztlich in der Supply Chain-Architektur widerspiegeln, sind bei einer „leanen“ Ausrichtung Flexibilitätsbedarfen bzw. Störungen gegenüber besonders anfällig und bedürfen folglich einer neuen Ausrichtung. Während sich die industrielle Forschung längere Zeit schwerpunktmäßig auf die Möglichkeit, flexible Handlungsspielräume einzurichten, konzentriert hat, sind die Supply Chains heute primär so zu gestalten, dass möglichst wenige Überraschungen bzw. Störimpulse auftreten können. Dazu ist es notwendig, mögliche Störgrößen bzw. Problemfelder zu identifizieren und hierfür jeweils passende Lösungsansätze zu konzipieren.
Previous research on market orientation claims that higher levels of market orientation lead to greater profitability. In this conceptual paper, we argue that it is inadequate to only study the effect of market orientation on profitability. It is entirely feasible for a firm exhibiting high market orientation to perform poorly. We argue that firms should be concerned with the productivity of market orientation implementation, rather than with market orientation per se. We develop a conceptual model showing the relationship between market orientation, productivity and performance, and also present research propositions to test our theory.
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