Purpose – While the attention of most OM scholars has shifted to supply chain management, there is still a need to understand how supply chain strategies are linked with internal manufacturing strategies. The literature shows some studies in this field, but a deep investigation of the linkages between these two areas is still missing. The purpose of this study is to investigate on an empirical basis the relationship between two supply chain integration dimensions – the integration of information flows and the integration of physical flows – and two manufacturing improvement programmes – lean production and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems.\ud Design/methodology/approach – Evidence is drawn from a sample of 297 European companies from the third edition of the International Manufacturing Strategy Survey. Data are analysed using exploratory factor analysis and hierarchical regression. Findings – Results show that the adoption of the lean production model has a strong influence on the integration of both information and physical flows along the supply chain, while no significant influence emerged from the adoption of ERP.\ud Research limitations/implications – Findings open up new research questions about the missing link between ERP and information integration along the supply chain. Further developments concern the investigation of the impact of consistent adoption of internal and external practices on performance.\ud Practical implications – The paper provides managers with clear evidence of the need for consistency between internal and external integration. Originality/value – This paper contributes to research by providing empirical evidence of the link between manufacturing and supply chain integration practices

Although the importance of operations in reaching world‐class competitiveness has been highlighted in the operations management literature, small and medium‐sized companies (SMEs) have been found to have a poor uptake of world‐class practices. Reports on a study of 285 SMEs located in Italy, the UK, and other northern European countries. The data are taken from the MICROSCOPE facilitated self‐assessment benchmarking database, which studied operations practices and performance in small firms. The level of world‐class practices and performance was compared across companies by company size and by country of origin. Significant differences were found between “micro” companies (fewer than 20 employees) and larger companies (between 20 and 200 employees). Other significant differences were found by country, which may be attributed to differences in regional policies and infrastructures regarding small firms.

This paper deals with the role of advanced manufacturing technologies (AMT) within the context of changes in the basic principles to organize and manage manufacturing systems. In particular, the use and effectiveness of various technologies and their computer‐based integration are investigated in the light of three emerging principles: (i) strategic multi‐focusedness, (ii) process integration across functions, and (iii) process ownership. Together, these principles are referred to as Strategically Flexible Production (SFP). In an international sample of 392 manufacturing units from the metal‐working industry, the use of AMT is analyzed in three groups: core adopters, partial adopters or non‐adopters of SFP. Data show that while core adopters do not use stand‐alone AMT more than the other groups, they have a higher level of computer integration (CI), in particular in their forefront departments. However, the use of integrating technologies varies much within the core adopters, suggesting that SFP does not necessarily require massive information technology (IT) support. This is further confirmed by the analysis of performance improvements. The mere adoption of stand‐alone AMT per se does not provide companies with superior improvements in performance. On the contrary, SFP alone or combined with a higher level of integration of stand‐alone AMT fosters increased time responsiveness.

This paper aims to study whether Human Resource Management and the organizational practices related to New Forms of Work Organization (NFWO) (e.g., teamwork, training, and employee involvement) should be implemented to attain higher environmental and social sustainability performance. This potential connection is analyzed using the International Manufacturing Strategy Survey 2009 database containing data on the assembly industry. Several hierarchical regression models are used to study the direct impact of the considered practices on sustainability performance and their interactions with sustainability action programs. The results show that some of the practices related to NFWO are linked to sustainability performance. In particular, training has a direct positive effect on environmental and social sustainability performance and creates a positive interaction between social sustainability action programs and performance. Additionally, employee involvement and incentives have a direct positive impact on social sustainability performance. Finally, teamwork is a relevant practice for the successful implementation of environmental sustainability action programs. This paper contributes by empirically extending the knowledge on the role of organizational practices and the understanding of environmental and social sustainability achievement at 2 the operational level. Moreover, we highlight the complexity of these relationships within different sustainability dimensions, showing the need for more qualitative studies about this topic.

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