IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/proeco/v169y2015icp190-202.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Operational flexibility: Review and meta-analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Yu, Kangkang
  • Cadeaux, Jack
  • Luo, Ben Nanfeng

Abstract

Several streams of literature increasingly consider flexibility at all levels and functions of the manufacturing and supply chain. This paper reviews flexibility studies in operations management, supply chain management, and marketing. It considers the definitions, dimensions, drivers, sources, and performance outcomes of operational flexibility. In doing so, it offers a meta-analysis of 57 empirical studies that examines the magnitudes of the sources and performance outcomes of operational flexibility. It discusses not only research directions that arise from the review and meta-analysis, but also the managerial implications of a broader contingency model of operational flexibility.

Suggested Citation

  • Yu, Kangkang & Cadeaux, Jack & Luo, Ben Nanfeng, 2015. "Operational flexibility: Review and meta-analysis," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 169(C), pages 190-202.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:proeco:v:169:y:2015:i:c:p:190-202
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpe.2015.07.035
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0925527315002844
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ijpe.2015.07.035?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Purvis, Laura & Gosling, Jonathan & Naim, Mohamed M., 2014. "The development of a lean, agile and leagile supply network taxonomy based on differing types of flexibility," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 100-111.
    2. BLOME, Constantin & SCHOENHERR, Tobias & ECKSTEIN, Dominik, 2014. "The impact of knowledge transfer and complexity on supply chain flexibility: a knowledge-based view," LIDAM Reprints CORE 2603, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE).
    3. Beach, R. & Muhlemann, A. P. & Price, D. H. R. & Paterson, A. & Sharp, J. A., 2000. "A review of manufacturing flexibility," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 122(1), pages 41-57, April.
    4. He, Yuanqiong & Keung Lai, Kin & Sun, Hongyi & Chen, Yun, 2014. "The impact of supplier integration on customer integration and new product performance: The mediating role of manufacturing flexibility under trust theory," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 147(PB), pages 260-270.
    5. Thomé, Antonio Márcio T. & Scavarda, Luiz Felipe & Pires, Sílvio R.I. & Ceryno, Paula & Klingebiel, Katja, 2014. "A multi-tier study on supply chain flexibility in the automotive industry," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 158(C), pages 91-105.
    6. Oke, Adegoke, 2013. "Linking manufacturing flexibility to innovation performance in manufacturing plants," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 143(2), pages 242-247.
    7. Jin, Yan & Vonderembse, Mark & Ragu-Nathan, T.S. & Smith, Joy Turnheim, 2014. "Exploring relationships among IT-enabled sharing capability, supply chain flexibility, and competitive performance," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 153(C), pages 24-34.
    8. I. Nyoman Pujawan, 2004. "Assessing supply chain flexibility: a conceptual framework and case study," International Journal of Integrated Supply Management, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 1(1), pages 79-97.
    9. Danny Miller, 1981. "Toward A New Contingency Approach: The Search For Organizational Gestalts," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(1), pages 1-26, January.
    10. Candace Young-Ybarra & Margarethe Wiersema, 1999. "Strategic Flexibility in Information Technology Alliances: The Influence of Transaction Cost Economics and Social Exchange Theory," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 10(4), pages 439-459, August.
    11. Dominik Eckstein & Matthias Goellner & Constantin Blome & Michael Henke, 2015. "The performance impact of supply chain agility and supply chain adaptability: the moderating effect of product complexity," International Journal of Production Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(10), pages 3028-3046, May.
    12. Swafford, Patricia M. & Ghosh, Soumen & Murthy, Nagesh, 2008. "Achieving supply chain agility through IT integration and flexibility," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 116(2), pages 288-297, December.
    13. Gosling, J. & Purvis, L. & Naim, M.M., 2010. "Supply chain flexibility as a determinant of supplier selection," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 128(1), pages 11-21, November.
    14. Merschmann, Ulf & Thonemann, Ulrich W., 2011. "Supply chain flexibility, uncertainty and firm performance: An empirical analysis of German manufacturing firms," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 130(1), pages 43-53, March.
    15. Moon, Karen Ka-Leung & Yi, Candace Ying & Ngai, E.W.T., 2012. "An instrument for measuring supply chain flexibility for the textile and clothing companies," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 222(2), pages 191-203.
    16. John E. Ettlie, 1998. "R&D and Global Manufacturing Performance," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 44(1), pages 1-11, January.
    17. Paul M. Swamidass & William T. Newell, 1987. "Manufacturing Strategy, Environmental Uncertainty and Performance: A Path Analytic Model," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 33(4), pages 509-524, April.
    18. Yang, Jie, 2014. "Supply chain agility: Securing performance for Chinese manufacturers," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 104-113.
    19. Donald Gerwin, 1993. "Manufacturing Flexibility: A Strategic Perspective," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 39(4), pages 395-410, April.
    20. Gupta, Yash P. & Goyal, Sameer, 1989. "Flexibility of manufacturing systems: Concepts and measurements," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 43(2), pages 119-135, November.
    21. Suárez, Freddy F. & Cusumano, Michael A., 1954- & Fine, Charles H., 1991. "Flexibility and performance : a literature critique and strategic framework," Working papers 3298-91., Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Sloan School of Management.
    22. Dreyer, Bent & Gronhaug, Kjell, 2004. "Uncertainty, flexibility, and sustained competitive advantage," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 57(5), pages 484-494, May.
    23. Young, Greg & Sapienza, Harry & Baumer, David, 2003. "The influence of flexibility in buyer-seller relationships on the productivity of knowledge," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 56(6), pages 443-451, June.
    24. Blome, Constantin & Schoenherr, Tobias & Eckstein, Dominik, 2014. "The impact of knowledge transfer and complexity on supply chain flexibility: A knowledge-based view," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 147(PB), pages 307-316.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Song, Sangcheol, 2021. "Do in-network ties help in lowering subsidiary divestment rates under environmental challenges?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 257-265.
    2. Chahal, Hardeep & Gupta, Mahesh & Lonial, Subhash & Raina, Swati, 2019. "Operational flexibility-entrepreneurial orientation relationship: Effects and consequences," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 154-167.
    3. Enrique, Daisy Valle & Lerman, Laura Visintainer & Sousa, Paulo Renato de & Benitez, Guilherme Brittes & Bigares Charrua Santos, Fernando M. & Frank, Alejandro G., 2022. "Being digital and flexible to navigate the storm: How digital transformation enhances supply chain flexibility in turbulent environments," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 250(C).
    4. Abolhassani, Amir & James Harner, E. & Jaridi, Majid, 2019. "Empirical analysis of productivity enhancement strategies in the North American automotive industry," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 208(C), pages 140-159.
    5. Zitzmann, Immanuel & Karl, David, 2018. "Adequate flexibility potential to handle supply chain uncertainties," Chapters from the Proceedings of the Hamburg International Conference of Logistics (HICL), in: Kersten, Wolfgang & Blecker, Thorsten & Ringle, Christian M. (ed.), The Road to a Digitalized Supply Chain Management: Smart and Digital Solutions for Supply Chain Management. Proceedings of the Hamburg International C, volume 25, pages 251-270, Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), Institute of Business Logistics and General Management.
    6. Hung Nguyen & George Onofrei & Norma Harrison & Dothang Truong, 2020. "The influence of cultural compatibility and product complexity on manufacturing flexibility and financial performance," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 13(3), pages 171-184, December.
    7. M. K. Dhillon & P. M. Rafi-Ul-Shan & H. Amar & F. Sher & S. Ahmed, 2023. "Flexible Green Supply Chain Management in Emerging Economies: A Systematic Literature Review," Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management, Springer;Global Institute of Flexible Systems Management, vol. 24(1), pages 1-28, March.
    8. Sanjai Kumar Shukla & Sushil & Manoj Kumar Sharma, 2019. "Managerial Paradox Toward Flexibility: Emergent Views Using Thematic Analysis of Literature," Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management, Springer;Global Institute of Flexible Systems Management, vol. 20(4), pages 349-370, December.
    9. Marta Pérez-Pérez & Canan Kocabasoglu-Hillmer & Ana María Serrano-Bedia & María Concepción López-Fernández, 2019. "Manufacturing and Supply Chain Flexibility: Building an Integrative Conceptual Model Through Systematic Literature Review and Bibliometric Analysis," Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management, Springer;Global Institute of Flexible Systems Management, vol. 20(1), pages 1-23, December.
    10. Ruben Wahyu Santoso & Hotlan Siagian & Zeplin Jiwa Husada Tarigan & Ferry Jie, 2022. "Assessing the Benefit of Adopting ERP Technology and Practicing Green Supply Chain Management toward Operational Performance: An Evidence from Indonesia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-21, April.
    11. Abreu-Ledón, René & Luján-García, Darkys E. & Garrido-Vega, Pedro & Escobar-Pérez, Bernabé, 2018. "A meta-analytic study of the impact of Lean Production on business performance," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 200(C), pages 83-102.
    12. Iftikhar, Anas & Purvis, Laura & Giannoccaro, Ilaria, 2021. "A meta-analytical review of antecedents and outcomes of firm resilience," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 408-425.
    13. Chang Liu & Zhen Li & Jiafu Tang & Xuequn Wang & Ming-Jong Yao, 2022. "How SERU production system improves manufacturing flexibility and firm performance: an empirical study in China," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 316(1), pages 529-554, September.
    14. Jafari, Hamid & Eslami, Mohammad H. & Paulraj, Antony, 2022. "Postponement and logistics flexibility in retailing: The moderating role of logistics integration and demand uncertainty," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 243(C).
    15. Sagi Akron & Roy Gelbard, 2020. "Software code flexibility profitability in light of technology life cycle," Operational Research, Springer, vol. 20(2), pages 723-746, June.
    16. Chen, Lujie & Jia, Fu & Li, Taiyu & Zhang, Tianyu, 2021. "Supply chain leadership and firm performance: A meta-analysis," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 235(C).
    17. Michael Wang & Bill Wang & Ahmad Abareshi, 2020. "Blockchain Technology and Its Role in Enhancing Supply Chain Integration Capability and Reducing Carbon Emission: A Conceptual Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-17, December.
    18. Axel Sikora & Tanya Titova-Kosturkova & Gordana Janevska & Mitko Kostov & Simona Halunga & George Suciu & Georgi Georgiev, 2023. "EREMI: An Innovative Interdisciplinary Approach for Higher Education in Resource Efficient Manufacturing Environments," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-22, June.
    19. Van den Broeke, Maud & Paparoidamis, Nicholas, 2021. "Engaging in or escaping co-creation? An analytical model," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 231(C).
    20. Muhammad Junaid & Ye Xue & Muzzammil Wasim Syed & Ji Zu Li & Muhammad Ziaullah, 2019. "A Neutrosophic AHP and TOPSIS Framework for Supply Chain Risk Assessment in Automotive Industry of Pakistan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-26, December.
    21. Allam Yousuf & Hossam Haddad & Miklos Pakurar & Serhii Kozlovskyi & Anastasiia Mohylova & Oksana Shlapak & Felfoldi Janos, 2019. "The Effect of Operational Flexibility on Performance: A Field Study on Small and Medium-sized Industrial Companies in Jordan," Montenegrin Journal of Economics, Economic Laboratory for Transition Research (ELIT), vol. 15(1), pages 47-60.
    22. Palominos, Pedro & Quezada, Luis E. & Gonzalez, Miguel A., 2019. "Incorporating the voice of the client in establishing the flexibility requirement in a production system," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 211(C), pages 34-43.
    23. Main Naser Alolayyan & Ahmmed Saadi Ibrahem, 2021. "Proposed Mathematical Model to Study and Analyze the Relationship Between Operational Flexibility Dimensions and Hospital Performance," Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management, Springer;Global Institute of Flexible Systems Management, vol. 22(4), pages 289-305, December.
    24. Ghomi, Vahid & Gligor, David & Parast, Mahour & Shokoohyar, Sina & Esfahani, Mina Ghofrani, 2021. "Antecedents and consequences of customer flexibility: Establishing the link to firm competitive advantage," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Marta Pérez-Pérez & Canan Kocabasoglu-Hillmer & Ana María Serrano-Bedia & María Concepción López-Fernández, 2019. "Manufacturing and Supply Chain Flexibility: Building an Integrative Conceptual Model Through Systematic Literature Review and Bibliometric Analysis," Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management, Springer;Global Institute of Flexible Systems Management, vol. 20(1), pages 1-23, December.
    2. Delic, Mia & Eyers, Daniel R., 2020. "The effect of additive manufacturing adoption on supply chain flexibility and performance: An empirical analysis from the automotive industry," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 228(C).
    3. Enrique, Daisy Valle & Lerman, Laura Visintainer & Sousa, Paulo Renato de & Benitez, Guilherme Brittes & Bigares Charrua Santos, Fernando M. & Frank, Alejandro G., 2022. "Being digital and flexible to navigate the storm: How digital transformation enhances supply chain flexibility in turbulent environments," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 250(C).
    4. Jafari, Hamid & Eslami, Mohammad H. & Paulraj, Antony, 2022. "Postponement and logistics flexibility in retailing: The moderating role of logistics integration and demand uncertainty," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 243(C).
    5. Sricharan Chirra & Dinesh Kumar, 2018. "Evaluation of Supply Chain Flexibility in Automobile Industry with Fuzzy DEMATEL Approach," Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management, Springer;Global Institute of Flexible Systems Management, vol. 19(4), pages 305-319, December.
    6. Seebacher, Gottfried & Winkler, Herwig, 2015. "A capability approach to evaluate supply chain flexibility," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 167(C), pages 177-186.
    7. Liu, Yang & Zhang, Yufeng & Batista, Luciano & Rong, Ke, 2019. "Green operations: What's the role of supply chain flexibility?," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 214(C), pages 30-43.
    8. Shekarian, Mansoor & Reza Nooraie, Seyed Vahid & Parast, Mahour Mellat, 2020. "An examination of the impact of flexibility and agility on mitigating supply chain disruptions," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 220(C).
    9. Qian Zhou & Shuxiang Wang, 2021. "Study on the Relations of Supply Chain Digitization, Flexibility and Sustainable Development—A Moderated Multiple Mediation Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-19, September.
    10. Thomé, Antonio Márcio T. & Scavarda, Luiz Felipe & Pires, Sílvio R.I. & Ceryno, Paula & Klingebiel, Katja, 2014. "A multi-tier study on supply chain flexibility in the automotive industry," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 158(C), pages 91-105.
    11. Yingjie Ju & Yue Wang & Ye Cheng & Jun Jia, 2019. "Investigating the Impact Factors of the Logistics Service Supply Chain for Sustainable Performance: Focused on Integrators," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-16, January.
    12. Wagner, Stephan M. & Grosse-Ruyken, Pan Theo & Erhun, Feryal, 2018. "Determinants of sourcing flexibility and its impact on performance," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 205(C), pages 329-341.
    13. Jajja, Muhammad Shakeel Sadiq & Chatha, Kamran Ali & Farooq, Sami, 2018. "Impact of supply chain risk on agility performance: Mediating role of supply chain integration," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 205(C), pages 118-138.
    14. Sujan Piya & Ahm Shamsuzzoha & Mohammad Khadem & Nasr Al-Hinai, 2020. "Identification of Critical Factors and Their Interrelationships to Design Agile Supply Chain: Special Focus to Oil and Gas Industries," Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management, Springer;Global Institute of Flexible Systems Management, vol. 21(3), pages 263-281, September.
    15. Morgan, Tyler R. & Roath, Anthony S. & Glenn Richey, Robert, 2023. "How risk, transparency, and knowledge influence the adaptability and flexibility dimensions of the responsiveness view," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    16. Kangkang Yu & Cheng Qian & Lingbo Zhang, 2021. "Understanding sustainable development flexibility: An information perspective," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(4), pages 2173-2183, May.
    17. Hallgren, Mattias & Olhager, Jan, 2009. "Flexibility configurations: Empirical analysis of volume and product mix flexibility," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 37(4), pages 746-756, August.
    18. Sreedevi, R. & Saranga, Haritha, 2017. "Uncertainty and supply chain risk: The moderating role of supply chain flexibility in risk mitigation," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 193(C), pages 332-342.
    19. Nudurupati, Sai Sudhakar & Bhattacharya, Arijit & Lascelles, David & Caton, Nicholas, 2015. "Strategic sourcing with multi-stakeholders through value co-creation: An evidence from global health care company," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 166(C), pages 248-257.
    20. Melek Akın Ateş & Robert Suurmond & Davide Luzzini & Daniel Krause, 2022. "Order from chaos: A meta‐analysis of supply chain complexity and firm performance," Journal of Supply Chain Management, Institute for Supply Management, vol. 58(1), pages 3-30, January.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:proeco:v:169:y:2015:i:c:p:190-202. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/ijpe .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.