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Towards theory building in agile manufacturing strategies--Case studies of an agility taxonomy

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  • Zhang, David Z.

Abstract

Agility is widely accepted in the manufacturing industry as a new competitive concept. However, how to develop a manufacturing strategy based around agility is not fully understood. A numerical taxonomy of agile manufacturing strategies was developed recently by the author, based on a large scale questionnaire study of UK industry. The taxonomy suggested the existence of three basic types of agility strategies: quick, responsive, and proactive. This paper presents a case-based investigation of the practical details of the three basic types of agility strategies. Typical cases from the basic strategy types were chosen and studied to establish why companies choose each type of the strategies, what distinctive agility drivers they are faced with and why, and whether and what typical action programs are used to implement the strategies. A cross-case analysis found that the choice of agility strategies is related to the nature of markets and competition, the characteristics of products (life cycles and degrees of maturity), and market positions of individual companies.

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  • Zhang, David Z., 2011. "Towards theory building in agile manufacturing strategies--Case studies of an agility taxonomy," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(1), pages 303-312, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:proeco:v:131:y:2011:i:1:p:303-312
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Anna-Theresa Walter, 2021. "Organizational agility: ill-defined and somewhat confusing? A systematic literature review and conceptualization," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 71(2), pages 343-391, April.
    2. Gligor, David M. & Holcomb, Mary C. & Feizabadi, Javad, 2016. "An exploration of the strategic antecedents of firm supply chain agility: The role of a firm's orientations," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 24-34.
    3. Iqbal, Tahir & Huq, Faizul & Bhutta, M. Khurrum S., 2018. "Agile manufacturing relationship building with TQM, JIT, and firm performance: An exploratory study in apparel export industry of Pakistan," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 203(C), pages 24-37.
    4. Safinaz H. Abourokbah & Reem M. Mashat & Mohammad Asif Salam, 2023. "Role of Absorptive Capacity, Digital Capability, Agility, and Resilience in Supply Chain Innovation Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-25, February.
    5. Dawei Lu & Yi Ding & Sobhan Asian & Sanjoy Kumar Paul, 2018. "From Supply Chain Integration to Operational Performance: The Moderating Effect of Market Uncertainty," Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management, Springer;Global Institute of Flexible Systems Management, vol. 19(1), pages 3-20, March.
    6. Mircea Fulea & Bogdan Mocan & Mihai Dragomir & Mircea Murar, 2023. "On Increasing Service Organizations’ Agility: An Artifact-Based Framework to Elicit Improvement Initiatives," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-25, June.
    7. Qamar, A. & Gardner, E.C. & Buckley, T. & Zhao, K., 2021. "Home-owned versus foreign-owned firms in the UK automotive industry: Exploring the microfoundations of ambidextrous production and supply chain positioning," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(1).
    8. Gmelin, Harald & Seuring, Stefan, 2014. "Achieving sustainable new product development by integrating product life-cycle management capabilities," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 166-177.
    9. Hubert Elisé Fotso, 2022. "Die Leistungsfähigkeit agiler KMU auf dem Prüfstand der Ungewissheit: Sondierungsstudie in einem Dienstleistungs-KMU [The performance of agile SMEs put to the test of uncertainty: Exploratory study," Working Papers hal-03721715, HAL.

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