Strategic manufacturing priorities for South African manufacturers: The need to shift emphasis and improve on current performance levels

Abstract

The findings of an empirical research project show that the majority of so-called large South African manufacturers acknowledge that manufacturing-based strategies enhance the competitive capabilities and advantages of their firms and that this contributes to long-term, superior business performance and success. They also recognize that superior manufacturing capabilities will be prerequisites for the improvement on both their national and international competitive positions in the future. To better their positions in these markets, the manufacturers need to shift their emphasis (in order of priority) to: (1) high quality, low cost and high dependability, all of priority number (1); (2) high speed; and (3) high flexibility. they also need to improve on their current performance levels in all of these strategic manufacturing priorities by an average of between 20% and 30%.

Competitive priorities of manufacturing firms in the Caribbean

“…Leong et al (1990) term competitive priorities as a consistent set of goals for manufacturing to gain competitive advantage. Several labels or terminologies are often used in the literature including: competitive devices or methods, strategic choice attributes, competitive strategy variables, manufacturing competitive priorities, performance objectives and customer requirements (Krüger, 1997). Over the years numerous articles have been published using a multiplicity of competitive priorities.…”

The influence of transformational policies on the operational competitiveness of South African businesses

“…This study focused on determining which of the specified COPs, such as low cost, high quality, speed, dependability and flexibility, were deemed to be the most important for competing in national (local) and/or international markets in the immediate and medium-term future. The primary purpose of this study was to compare the 2009 results with those of a previous study completed by Krüger (1997) in order to determine whether any shifts in priority and/or relative strengths had occurred over the past 13 years. The 2009 study was also broader its focus and included service providers (rather than only traditional manufacturers).…”

Developing operations strategies: Reassessing the strength and importance of competitive operations priorities for South African businesses

“…More than thirteen years ago, Krüger (1997) conducted an empirical study in which the opinions of management of so-called "large" South African manufacturers (those employing more than 500 employees) were solicited.…”

“…The theoretical background of the research, which provided the platform for the 1996 project, is well documented in a comprehensive research report and summarised in the above-mentioned article by Krüger (1997). The primary focus points of the literature review provided in that article are as follows (Note: the references in this section are not repeated at the end of this article, as they can be traced from the references first used.…”

“…The previous conceptual research framework that was used in the study by Krüger (1997) was again adopted as the basis for the new study, but it was amended to allow for the enlarged scope. Figure 1 illustrates the amended conceptual research framework named version 2.…”