There is a need for a unified theory of the strategic management ofmanufacturing. Current theory encourages the strategic management ofmanufacturing by seeking to match the use of…
Abstract
There is a need for a unified theory of the strategic management of manufacturing. Current theory encourages the strategic management of manufacturing by seeking to match the use of production resources with the need to satisfy the order winning criteria of the target markets. Such an approach suggests but one strategic role of manufacturing. The purpose of this article is to use previous research findings on a taxonomy of generic manufacturing strategies, the author′s own research and recently published academic theory to propose a unified theory of strategic manufacturing management. The theory links competitive strategy with four strategic roles of manufacturing. A strategic planning model is proposed to facilitate the preparation of a development plan which will not only enable manufacturing to support the competitive strategy of the firm but also to establish a strategy for manufacturing‐led competitive advantage.
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Mental health is not simply the absence of psychological problems any more than physical health is the absence of disease. This chapter explores various aspects of optimal mental…
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Mental health is not simply the absence of psychological problems any more than physical health is the absence of disease. This chapter explores various aspects of optimal mental health and wellbeing among college students. It examines the question of what is required for college students to both feel their best and function at or near their highest levels. It also discusses the characteristics of peak mental health, including its transient nature. Predictive factors such as exercise, diet, sleep and social connection will be explored. Regarding the features of optimal wellbeing, the following variables are described: integrity, values, mindfulness, self-compassion, flow and resilience. These variables are considered in an integrated fashion as components, as well as byproducts, of wellness. Hettler’s multidimensional model of wellness is presented at the outset of the chapter, followed by Keyes’ theory of flourishing.
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The librarian and researcher have to be able to uncover specific articles in their areas of interest. This Bibliography is designed to help. Volume IV, like Volume III, contains…
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The librarian and researcher have to be able to uncover specific articles in their areas of interest. This Bibliography is designed to help. Volume IV, like Volume III, contains features to help the reader to retrieve relevant literature from MCB University Press' considerable output. Each entry within has been indexed according to author(s) and the Fifth Edition of the SCIMP/SCAMP Thesaurus. The latter thus provides a full subject index to facilitate rapid retrieval. Each article or book is assigned its own unique number and this is used in both the subject and author index. This Volume indexes 29 journals indicating the depth, coverage and expansion of MCB's portfolio.
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This monograph will review recent thinking as applied to the management of materials within organisations. In considering the type of organisation to which the comments will…
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This monograph will review recent thinking as applied to the management of materials within organisations. In considering the type of organisation to which the comments will apply, it is of use to recognise the following sectors:
The use of innovation to achieve a competitive advantage is notnew. What is of current interest is how some manufacturing organizationshave used the speed of product innovation to…
Abstract
The use of innovation to achieve a competitive advantage is not new. What is of current interest is how some manufacturing organizations have used the speed of product innovation to gain competitive edge. To implement such a competitive strategy effectively, many firms have applied the technique of simultaneous engineering. The most common subject of previously published research on simultaneous engineering has been its application to product innovation. The article focuses on simultaneous process engineering. It explains how the principles of quality function deployment, which are used for product design, can be applied to manufacturing process design. It details the lessons learned from adopting such an approach for simultaneous process design.
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Adam S. Maiga and Fred A. Jacobs
This study examines the effect of four measures related to benchmarking and its successful implementation on organizational performance, controlling for size and industry. The…
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This study examines the effect of four measures related to benchmarking and its successful implementation on organizational performance, controlling for size and industry. The four benchmarking measures are (1) internal preliminary competitive analysis, (2) external preliminary competitive analysis, (3) degree of organizational commitment, and (4) prior benchmarking experience (Elnathan et al. 1996). Data for the study was obtained from 157 U.S. manufacturing business units using a questionnaire instrument. The results indicate that three of the benchmarking measures have a positive effect on organizational performance that is significant. Prior experience with benchmarking, the commitment of the organization to benchmarking and internal preliminary competitive analysis meaningfully enhance firm performance.
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The ideas expressed in this work are based on those put intopractice at the Okuma Corporation of Japan, one of the world′s leadingmachine tool manufacturers. In common with many…
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The ideas expressed in this work are based on those put into practice at the Okuma Corporation of Japan, one of the world′s leading machine tool manufacturers. In common with many other large organizations, Okuma Corporation has to meet the new challenges posed by globalization, keener domestic and international competition, shorter business cycles and an increasingly volatile environment. Intelligent corporate strategy (ICS), as practised at Okuma, is a unified theory of strategic corporate management based on five levels of win‐win relationships for profit/market share, namely: ,1. Loyalty from customers (value for money) – right focus., 2. Commitment from workers (meeting hierarchy of needs) – right attitude., 3. Co‐operation from suppliers (expanding and reliable business) – right connections., 4. Co‐operation from distributors (expanding and reliable business) – right channels., 5. Respect from competitors (setting standards for business excellence) – right strategies. The aim is to create values for all stakeholders. This holistic people‐oriented approach recognizes that, although the world is increasingly driven by high technology, it continues to be influenced and managed by people (customers, workers, suppliers, distributors, competitors). The philosophical core of ICS is action learning and teamwork based on principle‐centred relationships of sincerity, trust and integrity. In the real world, these are the roots of success in relationships and in the bottom‐line results of business. ICS is, in essence, relationship management for synergy. It is based on the premiss that domestic and international commerce is a positive sum game: in the long run everyone wins. Finally, ICS is a paradigm for manufacturing companies coping with change and uncertainty in their search for profit/market share. Time‐honoured values give definition to corporate character; circumstances change, values remain. Poor business operations generally result from human frailty. ICS is predicated on the belief that the quality of human relationships determines the bottom‐line results. ICS attempts to make manifest and explicit the intangible psychological factors for value‐added partnerships. ICS is a dynamic, living, and heuristic‐learning model. There is intelligence in the corporate strategy because it applies commonsense, wisdom, creative systems thinking and synergy to ensure longevity in its corporate life for sustainable competitive advantage.
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María Luz Martín‐Peña and Eloísa Díaz‐Garrido
The literature on manufacturing strategy has focused on analysis of content and process. Limited attention has been given to the concept of manufacturing strategy in taxonomical…
Abstract
Purpose
The literature on manufacturing strategy has focused on analysis of content and process. Limited attention has been given to the concept of manufacturing strategy in taxonomical terms. The purpose of this study is to highlight a taxonomy of manufacturing strategies in Spanish industrial companies.
Design/methodology/approach
A cluster analysis was performed. The classification variable used was based on competitive priorities relating to cost, quality, flexibility, delivery, service and environmental protection. The sample group consisted of 353 companies, belonging to different sectors.
Findings
Empirical analysis results demonstrate the existence of two manufacturing strategies and significant differences in structure and infrastructure policies but not in performance.
Research limitations/implications
The results of the study are not generalizable, given the nature of the sample. Future studies should consider larger samples, including more countries and contexts.
Practical implications
A taxonomy of manufacturing strategies will serve as a useful mechanism to better understand Spain's manufacturing role and position in European and global economies.
Originality/value
The taxonomy presented contributes to the development and enhancement of operations management theory and demonstrates the current strategic importance of the manufacturing function in Spanish companies.
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Introduction The growth in market share achieved by foreign car manufacturers during the last few years is a statistic frequently reported by the news media, but attention also…
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Introduction The growth in market share achieved by foreign car manufacturers during the last few years is a statistic frequently reported by the news media, but attention also needs to be given to the economic effects of this change in consumer preference.
Michael T. Sweeney and Marek Szwejczewski
Details the findings of a search for manufacturing “strategic groups” in the engineering industry, that is a set of firms competing within an industry on the basis of similar…
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Details the findings of a search for manufacturing “strategic groups” in the engineering industry, that is a set of firms competing within an industry on the basis of similar combinations of business scope and resource commitments. The research methodology used was to adopt stockturns (excluding work in process), as a measure of manufacturing scope. Manufacturing throughput efficiency was selected as a measure of production engineering resource commitment. An initial grouping of companies was accomplished by using these two manufacturing performance variables. Comparisons were then made of the manufacturing practices and performances of the firms in the four strategic groups that were formed. The results show statistically significant differences in the performance of each of the strategic groups formed. They can also serve as benchmarks for the evaluation of manufacturing management performance. The proposed manufacturing strategy and performance matrix provides a practical framework for strategic planning.