A note on manufacturing flexibility as a firm-specific dynamic capability

Genchev, Stefan E.; Willis, Geoff

doi:10.1016/j.mfglet.2014.07.002

Cited by 6 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…Such incentives, taken positively, can be channelled to benefit the firm's needs and strategy. Genchev and Willis (2014) bridge the gap between the uncertainty of the environment and the firm's manufacturing flexibility. They refer to the latter as a firm-specific dynamic capability.…”

Section: Theoretical Background and Hypotheses 21 Theoretical Lensesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fostering knowledge creation to improve performance: the mediation role of manufacturing flexibility

Pinheiro

Silva

Dias

et al. 2020

BPMJ

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PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the mediating role of manufacturing flexibility in the relationship between knowledge creation, technological turbulence and performance. In an increasingly competitive and changing environment, firms need to boost their technological and management know-how to adequately develop manufacturing flexibility.Design/methodology/approachThis study analyzes survey data collected from 370 manufacturing firms. Validity and reliability analyses were conducted using SPSS and Amos. The research hypotheses were tested using covariance-based structural equation modelling.FindingsThe main findings show that knowledge creation positively and significantly affects business and operational performances directly, and indirectly, through manufacturing flexibility. Moreover, technological turbulence has a positive and significant effect on it. This finding contributes to understanding why some firms get better outcomes from manufacturing flexibility than others, a disputed issue in the literature.Practical implicationsThis study highlights the need for manufacturing firms to foster cultures of knowledge creation, to better educate and train employees and to develop other instruments of knowledge creation.Originality/valueThis study makes several contributions to manufacturing flexibility literature: (1) establishing a link between technological turbulence and knowledge creation to develop manufacturing flexibility; (2) add empirical evidence on the relation between manufacturing flexibility and performance and (3) contributes to consolidating the mediation role of manufacturing flexibility in the relations between knowledge creation and business performance, as studies focussing on such a role are scarce in the literature.

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Section: Theoretical Background and Hypotheses 21 Theoretical Lensesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fostering knowledge creation to improve performance: the mediation role of manufacturing flexibility

Pinheiro

Silva

Dias

et al. 2020

BPMJ

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In [27], authors stated that the above concept refers to the ability of the manufacturing system to adapt to changing and dynamic environment; another appropriate definition can be the ability of the system to cope with changes related to devices, processes and products [28]. However, in [2] authors stated that flexible manufacturing is the ability to produce a great variety of key features of the product; in overall, manufacturing flexibility can only be seen in output. The most inclusive definition which has been raised so far is the ability to change or react with the least possible loss in time, cost and performance [24].…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Essential flexibility includes machine, product, labor, transportation, track and volume; components of sufficient flexibility include processes, operations, plans and materials; components of competitive flexibility include production, development and market. In [2], authors developed a model which considered manufacturing flexibility as a dynamic capability. In [3], authors presented a new business model for flexible organizations.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For this reason, new management theories have focused on the development of flexibility as an alternative approach for traditional management [1]. Adaptability of a company with environmental uncertainty is heavily influenced by manufacturing flexibility [2]. In [3], authors stated that customer satisfaction and supplier trust is a key success in turbulent environments in which frequent changes are made in product features and volume of demand; to achieve these goals, the company needs flexibility.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Taxonomy of Manufacturing Flexibility at Manufacturing Companies Using Imperialist Competitive Algorithms, Support Vector Machines and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis

Khoobiyan

Pooya

Tavakkoli

et al. 2017

Eng. Technol. Appl. Sci. Res.

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Manufacturing flexibility is a multidimensional concept and manufacturing companies act differently in using these dimensions. The purpose of this study is to investigate taxonomy and identify dominant groups of manufacturing flexibility. Dimensions of manufacturing flexibility are extracted by content analysis of literature and expert judgements. Manufacturing flexibility was measured by using a questionnaire developed to survey managers of manufacturing companies. The sample size was set at 379. To identify dominant groups of flexibility based on dimensions of flexibility determined, Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA), Imperialist Competitive Algorithms (ICAs) and Support Vector Machines (SVMs) were used by cluster validity indices. The best algorithm for clustering was SVMs with three clusters, designated as leading delivery-based flexibility, frugal flexibility and sufficient plan-based flexibility.

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“…While there is value in investigating different dimensions of supply chain and manufacturing flexibility, this study emphasises the intra-firm production network's flexibility. Genchev and Willis [51] specified that firm flexibility is an internal dynamic capability which enables the company to act against uncertainties in the market. Their concern about defining firm-specific flexibility as new flexibility can be extended to intra-firm production networks, where new dimensions of flexibility can be defined and used as operational strategy levers.…”

Section: Dimensions Of Flexibilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Production network flexibility: case study of Norwegian diary production network

2015

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By increasing advances in the production networks planning, understanding of relations and dynamics of production networks is gaining more attention in order to use all network capabilities. To achieve this understanding, it is not only important to have a good understanding of individual firm's manufacturing flexibility next to supply chain flexibility, but also to consider the internal (among production network's facilities) and external (other tiers of supply chain) relationships in a production network. Studying the production network's flexibility dimensions facilitates the effective use of the synergy of cooperation in the network. On other words, the potential in the network structure cannot be exploited unless the planning and control of network consider the available flexibility of network and operationalize the opportunities which arise. This paper identifies different dimensions of flexibility in a production network and describes how they can support firms in responding to customers' needs. This research employs exploratory and descriptive approaches and uses a single case study of Norwegian diary to capture the dynamics of production networks. Three product categories with different network characteristics are selected, and the identified network flexibility dimensions are investigated for these products. The status of case company under each flexibility dimension is presented and discussed.

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A note on manufacturing flexibility as a firm-specific dynamic capability

Cited by 6 publications

References 33 publications

Fostering knowledge creation to improve performance: the mediation role of manufacturing flexibility

Fostering knowledge creation to improve performance: the mediation role of manufacturing flexibility

Taxonomy of Manufacturing Flexibility at Manufacturing Companies Using Imperialist Competitive Algorithms, Support Vector Machines and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis

Production network flexibility: case study of Norwegian diary production network

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