Lean Enhancement by Application of Total Interpretive Structural Modelling

Prioritizing of factors for effective lean manufacturing poses a challenge to management due to complexities in interrelationships. Diligent understanding of measures of lean manufacturing assumes great importance. Essential manufacturing flexibilities take care of uncertainties driven by dynamics of the market. Interrelationship between factors of manufacturing flexibility and lean manufacturing adds to complexity. Judicious analysis of these factors is imperative to understand their effect on lean manufacturing. Total interpretive structural modeling methodology is used for establishing relationships among the factors affecting lean performance. Case studies have been carried out and TISM is applied to understand the dynamism of factors. Study brings out how the organization of the companies and level of automation help in understating the driving and dependence power. The study helps in understanding the influence of hierarchy and level of factors identified by TISM technique on lean performance as also the factors which merit attention of top management to achieve better results

Opening manufacturing flexibility's black box: the unexplored role of internal flexibility

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to empirically test a research model exploring the complex links between internal and external manufacturing flexibility capabilities (IF and EF) and competitive advantage (CA).Design/methodology/approachA survey approach with responses from 266 Spanish manufacturing firms from different industries was used. Structural equation modelling and SPSS macro PROCESS were used to test the hypotheses.FindingsManufacturing flexibility (MF) is a dual-dimensional concept composed by IF and EF, which are complementary and hierarchical in its development. Contrary to previous assumptions, IF does not always express its final competitive effect through EF, which only partially mediates the IF–CA relationship. Thus, IF and EF independently can positively enhance a firm's CA, being the direct effect of the IF being stronger than EF.Practical implicationsThis study offers practical insights supporting a guide for prioritising flexibility capabilities through the holistic MF implementation, thus assisting managers wishing to formulate MF strategies seeking efficiency and customer value advantages relative to competitors.Originality/valueThe main novelty of this work is to explore for the first time the direct and indirect role of IF on CA, enlarging the assumptions of the flexibility funnel framework (FFF) and the strategic view of MF. The study is also unique due to both the depth and breadth of the investigation of the basis of the use of resource-based theory (RBT) and by employing a recent and comprehensive MF conceptual systematisation to guide the measurement approach.

Achieving Long Term Sustainability through Green Process Innovation: A Study on Small Packaging Companies in the UK

Packaging is increasingly considered as dominating environmental issue in the last two decades and has forced many global businesses to reconsider the true function of their packaging. Manufacturing flexibility and efficiency are considered highly competitive for industrial success. However, several packaging organizations are trying to see the packaging problem from the aspect of sustainability and in the 21st century, the word “green” and sustainability have become essential adjectives for the packaging industry. To maintain environmental impact and sustainability together, packaging has required clear directions to address challenges, while addressing environmental issues that result from packaging waste. Packaging operations for small firms is a costly and timely endeavour and there is no crystal-clear guideline for small firms to get the most from their existing processes. Green process innovation is seen as an efficient solution that can help society and businesses to deal with environmental problems but green process innovation popularity among researchers is not prominent. With having very little information on green process innovation this research considers various elements to bridge the sustainable framework. Based on the analysis this research identifies the key implementations and develops a framework of sustainable green process innovation. This research also discusses the limitations and provide greater insight on the implementation of green process innovation in the small packaging business.

Effects of absorptive capacity and innovation spillover on manufacturing flexibility

PurposeShifting demand and ever-shorter production cycles pressure manufacturing flexibility. Although the literature has established the positive effect of the firm's absorptive capacity on manufacturing flexibility, the separate role of the innovation competencies of exploitation and exploration in such a relationship is still under-investigated. In this study, the authors examine how these competencies affect manufacturing flexibility.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use survey data from 370 manufacturing firms and analyze them using covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB–SEM).FindingsThe results indicate that absorptive capacity has a strong, positive and direct effect on exploitative and exploratory innovation competencies, proactive and responsive market orientations, and manufacturing flexibility. The authors’ findings also demonstrate that the exploitative innovation competencies mediate the relation between responsive market orientation and manufacturing flexibility. Essentially, these exploitative innovation competencies produce a direct positive effect on manufacturing flexibility while simultaneously being a vehicle for absorptive capacity's indirect effects on it. An exploration innovation strategy does not significantly affect manufacturing flexibility.Originality/valueThis study contributes by combining key strategic features of firms with manufacturing flexibility, while providing new empirical evidence of the mediation of the exploitative innovation competencies in the relation between responsive market orientation and manufacturing flexibility.