Managing emergency situations with lean and advanced manufacturing technologies: an empirical study on the Rumbia typhoon disaster
International Journal of Operations & Production Management
ISSN: 0144-3577
Article publication date: 22 July 2021
Issue publication date: 12 October 2021
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the impact of lean manufacturing (LM) on the financial performance of companies affected by emergency situations. It additionally explores the role of advanced manufacturing technologies (AMTs) in complementing LM to enhance financial performance in emergency and non-emergency situations.
Design/methodology/approach
Both survey and archival data were collected from 219 manufacturing companies in China. With longitudinal data collected before and after an emergency situation (i.e. Typhoon Rumbia), regression analysis was conducted to investigate the effects of LM and AMTs on financial performance in different contexts.
Findings
Our results reveal an inverted U-shaped relationship between LM and financial performance in the context of emergency. We also found that AMTs exerted a positive moderation effect on the inverted U-shaped relationship, indicating high levels of AMTs that mitigated the inefficiency of LM in coping with supply chain emergencies.
Research limitations/implications
Through simultaneous investigation of LM and AMTs as bundles of practices and their fit with different contexts, this study takes a systems approach to fit that advances the application of contingency theory in the Operations Management literature to more complex patterns of fit.
Originality/value
This study illuminates how AMTs support LM practices in facilitating organizational performance in different contexts. Specifically, this study unravels the interaction mechanisms between AMTs and LM in influencing financial performance in emergency and non-emergency situations.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge the financial support from National Natural Science Foundation of China (72001155, 71801204, 71971202, 71921001) and Zhejiang Soft Science Programme (2021C35017).
Citation
Pu, X., Chen, M., Cai, Z., Chong, A.Y.-L. and Tan, K.H. (2021), "Managing emergency situations with lean and advanced manufacturing technologies: an empirical study on the Rumbia typhoon disaster", International Journal of Operations & Production Management, Vol. 41 No. 9, pp. 1442-1468. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOPM-12-2020-0887
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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