Identifying manufacturers' competitive priorities has long been considered a key element in manufacturing strategy research. However, relatively little effort has been devoted to measurement of these constructs in published research. In this study we develop scales for commonly accepted competitive priorities, cost importance, quality importance, delivery-time importance, and flexibility importance. We assess how well the scales capture the constructs that they represent using data collected from 114 manufacturing plants in the United States. The findings suggest that the instrument developed can provide reliable data and that the constructs measured are valid. In addition, comparisons between pairs of informants representing the same business indicate that the perceptual measures of competitive priorities are as reliable as point estimates of routine, seemingly objective information.

Purpose Implementing new quality initiatives in organizations is challenging, as it requires managers and employees to adjust to new processes, methodologies and even mindsets. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between quality management (QM) practices and readiness for change due to implementing new quality initiatives such as lean, six sigma and to determine which dimensions of QM are more important to change efficacy and change commitment. Design/methodology/approach The issues are examined in this study through the analysis of survey data obtained from US textile and apparel industry managers by using factor analysis, stepwise regression to construct path model and structural equation modeling. Findings This study identifies change readiness measures which are specific for quality implementations and establishes two constructs, namely, change commitment and change efficacy. The results indicate that as good Employee Relations increase, the level of organizational change commitment increases. If employees are engaged and empowered to provide excellent quality, then it is more likely that they will be committed to change due to implementing future quality initiatives. Moreover, a direct relationship between Customer Relationship Management and change efficacy is found. Companies with a strong customer orientation are more able to implement the quality initiatives that matter to their markets. Originality/value This study is unique in investigating the empirical relationship between QM practices and the dimensions of readiness for change due to implementing new quality initiatives via data from various organizations. This study empirically contributes to the QM literature with change readiness antecedents in quality implementation setting.

Purpose-This paper seeks to investigate whether linkages, proposed by previous researchers, among business strategies and structural and infrastructural investment decisions of manufacturing are empirically supported. Design/methodology/approach-A sample of 101 US manufacturing firms is classified into three groups based on their predominant business strategies. The classification is validated using analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests on the taxons and on the environment in which the firms operate. ANOVA tests on manufacturing investment decisions are then used to address the central question of the paper-whether the three business strategy groups differ in their emphasis on structural and infrastructural areas of manufacturing. Findings-The three business strategy-based groups of firms, labeled broad-based competitors, differentiators, and price leaders, differ in their emphasis on several of the structural and infrastructural areas of manufacturing, thus supporting the contention of linkages among business strategy and manufacturing investment decisions. Originality/value-The popular notion of linkages among business strategies and investments in structural and infrastructural areas of manufacturing is empirically tested.