Achieving mass customization capability: the roles of flexible manufacturing competence and workforce management practices

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of flexible manufacturing competence (FMC) and workforce management practices (WMP) in facilitating the development of mass customization capability (MCC). More specifically, this research analyzes not only the direct effects of FMC and WMP on MCC but also the moderating effect of WMP on the relationship between FMC and MCC. Design/methodology/approach - Building on the resource-based view, a research framework depicting the linkages among the variables of interest has been proposed. The examination of the proposed research model and hypotheses are conducted by applying partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) on a dataset of Indian manufacturing organizations. Findings - The findings suggest that both FMC and WMP significantly and positively affect the development of MCC. Also, the results show that the relationship between FMC and MCC is strengthened by the implementation of WMP. Practical implications - The study identifies several crucial practices for enhancement of flexible manufacturing competence and effective management of the workforce and also highlights the complementarities among them to develop superior MCC. Originality/value - While the research on the antecedent of MCC has increased substantially, the understanding of the interactions among FMC, WMP, and MCC is still limited. This is the first study that sheds light on the interconnectedness among the variables of interest.