Daniel Vázquez‐Bustelo, Lucía Avella and Esteban Fernández
Despite the fact that agile manufacturing has been frequently promoted as a means of improving business competitiveness, little empirical evidence exists in the literature…
Abstract
Purpose
Despite the fact that agile manufacturing has been frequently promoted as a means of improving business competitiveness, little empirical evidence exists in the literature validating its positive link with business performance. The purpose of this research paper is to analyse agile manufacturing in Spain and study whether it is a critical factor for success in different industries.
Design/methodology/approach
A conceptual model is drawn up, based on the literature and a previous case study, to relate turbulence in the environment with agile manufacturing practices and business performance. The model is tested on a large sample of Spanish manufacturers using a survey methodology to obtain information and a structural equation model to analyse the data.
Findings
The results obtained show that, in turbulent environments, the integrated use of agile manufacturing practices promotes manufacturing competitive strength, leading to better operational, market and financial performance.
Research limitations/implications
This study has two main limitations. First, it is difficult to determine the most suitable unit of analysis when studying agile manufacturing. Second, single respondent bias may be considered a limitation.
Practical implications
Managers should consider the integrated implementation of agile manufacturing practices in order to develop manufacturing strength and to outperform competitors in turbulent business environments.
Originality/value
This study adopts a systematic approach to the analysis of agile manufacturing, considering various agility practices or enablers in an integrated way and relating them not only to environmental characteristics but also to business performance. This approach is especially interesting because most of the literature on agile manufacturing deals with agility strategies or techniques in an isolated way. The study also tests the suitability of agile manufacturing in real organisations – for the first time in the Spanish context.
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Lucía Avella and Daniel Vázquez‐Bustelo
The purpose of this paper is to look into production competence theory by proposing and validating a multidimensional construct, and offering additional empirical evidence…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to look into production competence theory by proposing and validating a multidimensional construct, and offering additional empirical evidence regarding the contribution of production competence to business performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Production competence is defined as a second‐order factor/construct in terms of five underlying dimensions: cost, flexibility, quality, delivery and environmental protection competence. Different scales are used to measure the construct, validated by a multi‐step process. Data from 274 manufacturing firms and structural equation modelling as the main technique are used for the analysis.
Findings
The paper suggests that manufacturing capabilities and their alignment with the competitive priorities pursued must be considered to explain the contribution of manufacturing to business performance. The provided evidence suggests that the manufacturing function significantly contributes to business performance, and enables us to conclude that production competence is a determinant of business performance.
Practical implications
Firms should focus on the development of manufacturing capabilities that are key for the market (and consistent with the business strategy). To achieve this, the production function should be integrated into the strategic planning process of the overall business strategy.
Originality/value
Most research works to date deal with production competence as a one‐dimensional construct and reduce its measurement to a single index, fussing variables of different types. This paper provides a valid multidimensional operationalisation of production competence, considering environmental protection as a fifth manufacturing objective. It also offers additional empirical evidence regarding the positive link between production competence and business performance.
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Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems can be considered as cornerstone that allows most organizations to achieve their business goals. The purpose of this paper is to…
Abstract
Purpose
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems can be considered as cornerstone that allows most organizations to achieve their business goals. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of ERP system usage on agility in organizations.
Design/methodology/approach
The data were collected from 90 branches of well-known banks in the Middle East, such as HSBC, Standard Chartered and Arab Bank. Data were analyzed using a path analysis methodology.
Findings
A new model has been developed. An empirical investigation was performed on the banking sector in the Middle East to test the new model. Despite the results showing that the impact of ERP system usage on banks’ agility is significant, the variance of banks’ agility that is explained by the use of ERP systems is weak. This indicates that ERP usage may not influence sufficiently the current agility drivers in Middle-Eastern banks and that there may be other significant variables that contribute to agility in the banking sector.
Research limitations/implications
The findings of this research were based on a survey conducted among banks in the Middle East. The results are applicable in Middle-Eastern banks, but may not be applicable in other regions.
Practical implications
Banking practitioners in the Middle East should be aware that successful implementation of ERP systems may not lead to the achievement of sufficient competency, flexibility, quickness, and responsiveness. Hence, such implementation may not deliver banking agility.
Originality/value
This research model investigates the impact of ERP usage on the agility of banks in the Middle East.
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Pavan Kumar Potdar and Srikanta Routroy
The purpose of this paper is to develop a set of key performance indicators (KPIs) for agile manufacturing (AM) and to propose a methodology for its performance evaluation.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop a set of key performance indicators (KPIs) for agile manufacturing (AM) and to propose a methodology for its performance evaluation.
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed methodology was developed using fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) and performance value analysis (PVA) to evaluate and analyze the AM performance. The FAHP is applied to determine the importance of KPIs, and PVA is used to evaluate AM performance.
Findings
The proposed methodology is applied to an Indian auto component manufacturer, and it is observed that there is an improvement of performance along the timeline.
Research limitations/implications
The proposed approach is generic in nature and can be applied to different agile business environments for performance evaluation.
Practical implications
This study provides insights into the AM performance evaluation. The managers can establish the impact of each significant area (SA) on AM and each KPI on its corresponding SA by capturing their manufacturing environments.
Originality/value
Although many issues related to AM have been widely researched, only a few studies have been carried out to quantify, analyze and evaluate the AM performance in the Indian manufacturing environment. The proposed model has the ability to capture the performance of AM along the KPIs to draw fruitful conclusions.
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André M. Carvalho, Paulo Sampaio, Eric Rebentisch, João Álvaro Carvalho and Pedro Saraiva
This article offers a novel approach that brings together management, engineering and organizational behavior. It focuses on the understanding of organizational dynamics in an era…
Abstract
Purpose
This article offers a novel approach that brings together management, engineering and organizational behavior. It focuses on the understanding of organizational dynamics in an era of technological change, upholding the importance of organizational agility and of the cultural paradigm in the management of organizations.
Design/methodology/approach
In this work, the authors present the conclusions from a set of studies carried out in organizations operating in technical and technological industries. The authors assessed the capabilities of these organizations in terms of operational excellence maturity and its impact on the organizational culture and organizational agility.
Findings
Results show the importance of operational excellence either in developing or expanding organizational agility capabilities while reinforcing the cruciality of an excellence-oriented culture to sustain these efforts over time.
Originality/value
Increasingly unstable business environments have led to a growing interest in how to develop and maintain operational excellence in the face of continued and disruptive change. However, this interest has, so far, been advanced with little empirical evidence to support the corresponding predictions. This work offers the first practical evidence that continued focus and optimization of operations, with the right cultural alignment, helps organizations survive and thrive in increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous environments.
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Abdelkebir Sahid, Yassine Maleh and Mustapha Belaissaoui
The purpose of this paper is to investigate enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems development and emerging practices in the management of enterprises (i.e. parts of companies…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems development and emerging practices in the management of enterprises (i.e. parts of companies working with parts of other companies to deliver a complex product and/or service) and identify any apparent correlations. Suitable a priori contingency frameworks are then used and extended to explain apparent correlations. Discussion is given to provide guidance for researchers and practitioners to deliver better strategic, structural and operational competitive advantage through this approach; coined here as the “enterprization of operations”.
Design/methodology/approach
Theoretical induction uses a new empirical longitudinal case study from Zoomlion (a Chinese manufacturing company) built using an adapted form of template analysis to produce a new contingency framework.
Findings
Three main types of enterprises and the three main types of ERP systems are defined and correlations between them are explained. Two relevant a priori frameworks are used to induct a new contingency model to support the enterprization of operations; known as the dynamic enterprise reference grid for ERP (DERG-ERP).
Research limitations/implications
The findings are based on one longitudinal case study. Further case studies are currently being conducted in the UK and China.
Practical implications
The new contingency model, the DERG-ERP, serves as a guide for ERP vendors, information systems management and operations managers hoping to grow and sustain their competitive advantage with respect to effective enterprise strategy, enterprise structure and ERP systems.
Originality/value
This research explains how ERP systems and the effective management of enterprises should develop in order to sustain competitive advantage with respect to enterprise strategy, enterprise structure and ERP systems use.
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Amit Kumar Yadav and Dinesh Kumar
Each individual needs to be vaccinated to control the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the shortest possible time. However, the vaccine distribution with an already strained…
Abstract
Purpose
Each individual needs to be vaccinated to control the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the shortest possible time. However, the vaccine distribution with an already strained supply chain in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) will not be effective enough to vaccinate all the population in stipulated time. The purpose of this paper is to show that there is a need to revolutionize the vaccine supply chain (VSC) by overcoming the challenges of sustainable vaccine distribution.
Design/methodology/approach
An integrated lean, agile and green (LAG) framework is proposed to overcome the challenges of the sustainable vaccine supply chain (SVSC). A hybrid best worst method (BWM)–Measurement of Alternatives and Ranking According to COmpromise Solution (MARCOS) methodology is designed to analyze the challenges and solutions.
Findings
The analysis shows that vaccine wastage is the most critical challenge for SVSC, and the coordination among stakeholders is the most significant solution followed by effective management support.
Social implications
The result of the analysis can help the health care organizations (HCOs) to manage the VSC. The effective vaccination in stipulated time will help control the further spread of the virus, which will result in the normalcy of business and availability of livelihood for millions of people.
Originality/value
To the best of the author's knowledge, this is the first study to explore sustainability in VSC by considering the environmental and social impact of vaccination. The LAG-based framework is also a new approach in VSC to find the solution for existing challenges.
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Pavan Kumar Potdar, Srikanta Routroy and Astajyoti Behera
The purpose of this paper is to identify and analyze the agile manufacturing barriers (AMBs) for establishing a cause and effect relationship among them.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify and analyze the agile manufacturing barriers (AMBs) for establishing a cause and effect relationship among them.
Design/methodology/approach
A methodology is proposed using fuzzy decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) to capture multiple experts’ qualitative judgments for mitigating the impact of the AMBs. In order to validate the proposed methodology, it is applied to an Indian automobile manufacturing company.
Findings
Out of 36 AMBs identified through literature review, 20 AMBs are found to be relevant to the case company. Five AMBs (i.e. lack of resource reconfiguration, inefficient conflicting management styles, imperfect market knowledge, inadequate information handling and improper strategic plan) were identified as significant cause group where the case company has to put efforts and resources. Also the impact relationship matrix for each AMB has been developed to visualize its interactions (i.e. influencing and influenced) among other AMBs.
Research limitations/implications
The results obtained are specific to the Indian automobile manufacturing company and it cannot be generalized for every manufacturing company or any other sector. However, the proposed approach can be a basis and provide a platform to understand and analyze the interactions between AMBs.
Practical implications
The proposed methodology will show the appropriate areas for allocating efforts and resources to mitigate the impact of AMBs for successful implementation of agile manufacturing.
Originality/value
According to the authors’ knowledge, no work is reported in the literature that proposes a framework using fuzzy DEMATEL for the analysis of AMBs in Indian automobile manufacturing company.
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Érico Daniel Ricardi Guerreiro, Reginaldo Fidelis and Rafael Henrique Palma Lima
A quantitative theoretical model is proposed to measure how productivity performance can be affected by strategic decisions related to specific competitive priorities.
Abstract
Purpose
A quantitative theoretical model is proposed to measure how productivity performance can be affected by strategic decisions related to specific competitive priorities.
Design/methodology/approach
This study proposes the Primary Transformation Model (PTM) and an equation to measure cause-and-effect relationships between productivity and competitive priorities.
Findings
The interdependence between productivity and competitive priorities was studied using the PTM and the proposed model indicates that strategies that improve external performance also impact internal productivity. It was also observed that the compatibility between competitive priorities depends on the initial manufacturing conditions and the implementation method adopted.
Research limitations/implications
The proposed model is theoretical and, as such, is an abstraction of reality and does not consider all possible aspects. It consists of a novel approach that still requires further empirical testing. The PTM provides insights about the trade-offs between productivity and strategic objectives, as well, contributes to the ongoing research on manufacturing strategy and can be further developed in future studies.
Practical implications
The main practical implication is to allow companies to relate their strategic decisions to their productivity performance.
Social implications
This research also contributes to societal issues by enabling firms to better align strategic objectives and operations, which ultimately allows offering products more suited to the needs of customers, thus making better use of the required resources and favoring economic growth.
Originality/value
The model proposed allows objective assessment of actions aiming at operational efficiency and effectiveness, in addition to providing insights into cause-and-effect relationships between productivity and competitive priorities. The model can also be used in empirical investigations on manufacturing strategy.