Flexible Manufacturing Organizations: Implications for Strategy Formulation and Organization Design

Performance and size: empirical evidence from Portuguese SMEs

“…Nevertheless, the result obtained in the current study seems to support, respectively, the arguments of Nemetz and Fry (1988) and Lensink et al (2005) that small companies have better perception of business risk and reduce investment in high-risk situations.…”

“…However, Nemetz and Fry (1988) conclude that SMEs have a greater perception of business risk than large companies. Consequently, SMEs reduce investments, which have associated a potential high-risk business (Lensink et al 2005).…”

Role of manufacturing flexibility in managing duality of formalization and environmental uncertainty in emerging firms

“…Nemetz and Fry (1988) explain manufacturing flexibility as the ability of firms to cope with fluctuating environmental demands by adapting internal operational processes. Koste et al (2004) propose five dimensions of manufacturing flexibility: machines, labor, materials handling, product mix, and new product introduction.…”

“…Koste et al (2004) propose five dimensions of manufacturing flexibility: machines, labor, materials handling, product mix, and new product introduction. Continuing from Nemetz and Fry (1988), new ventures must be able to cope with the demands of the task environment by providing new products. New product flexibility is central to a venture's ability to innovate.…”

“…Fourth, Nemetz and Fry (1988) and Swamidass and Newell (1987) have explained the importance of flexibility in coping with environmental uncertainty. Manufacturing flexibility in the context of ventures stands at the interface of the task-tool-people relationship.…”