– Despite the fact that agile manufacturing has been frequently promoted as a means of improving business competitiveness, little empirical evidence exists in the literature validating its positive link with business performance. The purpose of this research paper is to analyse agile manufacturing in Spain and study whether it is a critical factor for success in different industries., – A conceptual model is drawn up, based on the literature and a previous case study, to relate turbulence in the environment with agile manufacturing practices and business performance. The model is tested on a large sample of Spanish manufacturers using a survey methodology to obtain information and a structural equation model to analyse the data., – The results obtained show that, in turbulent environments, the integrated use of agile manufacturing practices promotes manufacturing competitive strength, leading to better operational, market and financial performance., – This study has two main limitations. First, it is difficult to determine the most suitable unit of analysis when studying agile manufacturing. Second, single respondent bias may be considered a limitation., – Managers should consider the integrated implementation of agile manufacturing practices in order to develop manufacturing strength and to outperform competitors in turbulent business environments., – This study adopts a systematic approach to the analysis of agile manufacturing, considering various agility practices or enablers in an integrated way and relating them not only to environmental characteristics but also to business performance. This approach is especially interesting because most of the literature on agile manufacturing deals with agility strategies or techniques in an isolated way. The study also tests the suitability of agile manufacturing in real organisations – for the first time in the Spanish context.

Agility drivers, enablers and outcomes: Empirical test of an integrated agile manufacturing model

Antecedents of organizational resilience in economic crises—an empirical study of Swedish textile and clothing SMEs

Economic recessions have created challenges for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and contributed to disruptions requiring the SME to be resilient. At times of economic crises, SMEs face ma ...

Antecedents of organizational resilience in economic crises : an empirical study of Swedish textile and clothing SMEs

The current study results from fields of agility and ISM in a manufacturing company.We have been leveled the suppliers' evaluation criteria using ISM method.We weight each criterion using fuzzy AHP method and ranking the suppliers by TOPSIS method.We pictured for readers the practical function of these three models, ISM, AHP and TOPSIS.The criteria with higher driving power and lower dependence have higher weight in AHP model. In the present competitive world, the organizations need to endeavor constantly so as to make progress as well as maintaining their current position through employing the appropriate strategies. Organizations surroundings have been undergoing rapid changes among which the different demands and the variety of customers are to be mentioned. The scarce and limited number of sources and facilities are also worth being cited as another example of an important restrictions placed on companies. One way to bring down these problems is employing agile suppliers and outsourcing appropriately. The current study results from two theses completed in the fields of agility and ISM. It begins with identifying the criteria to evaluate agile suppliers. Then these factors are ranked and categorized using the interpretive structural model. The results of this study depict that the delivery speed variable lays on the bottom level of the model outlet with quite high driving power. The delay reduction variable has the same characteristics. Next, using fuzzy hierarchical analysis method, the weight of the agility evaluation criteria of suppliers are measured and put as TOPSIS model input. Finally, six suppliers are rated using fuzzy TOPSIS method. The results of this study shows that the criteria with higher driving power and lower dependence have higher weight in AHP model. It is, therefore, necessary to focus on variables of the first and second level of model in order to increase suppliers' agility. In this study, the weight of data has been determined using hierarchical analysis so as to increase the efficiency of the results of fuzzy TOPSIS technique. At the same time, interpretive structural model has been also employed to interpret the effects of the criteria on suppliers.

The application of ISM model in evaluating agile suppliers selection criteria and ranking suppliers using fuzzy TOPSIS-AHP methods

The agility construct on project management theory

This paper presents a framework for the implementation of agile manufacturing. The framework employs a bottom-up approach taking the company through three iterative implementation phases of robustness of operation, responsiveness to customers and proactive growth tactics. The framework incorporates a detailed assessment of the level of business environment turbulence and the impact of this turbulence on the enterprise. The results of this assessment are used to identify and customise an implantation plan as well as select the required tools and those measures of performance necessary to monitor the plans progress. This is carried while aligning any action to the company strategy.

R. Reid

Papers

Agile manufacturing framework and practice