Title: Flexible manufacturing competence and capability on product development performance

Authors: Sunil Hwang; Seong-Jong Joo

Addresses: Korea Maritime Institute, 26, Haeyang-ro 301 Beon-Gil, Yeongdo-gu, 49111, Busan, Korea ' Department of Operational Sciences, Air Force Institute of Technology, 2950 Hobson Way, WPAFB, OH 45433, USA

Abstract: Existing studies have examined the relationship between manufacturing flexibility and firm performance using various performance measures such as operational outcomes, customer satisfaction levels, and financial results. We examine the relationship between flexible manufacturing competence and product development performance when flexible manufacturing capability partially mediates this relationship. Using Sobel's test, we analyse survey data from the manufacturing industry in South Korea, which plays a significant economic role in the world. By controlling uncertainty factors, we confirm, first, a direct relationship between flexible manufacturing competence and product development performance (Sobel's coefficient = 0.138) and, second, the partial mediation effect of flexible manufacturing capability on the relationship between flexible manufacturing competence and product development performance (Sobel's coefficient = 0.174). The major managerial implication of our study is that a firm's product development performance can be enhanced by developing flexible manufacturing competence that includes skill sets or knowledge on the flexibility of machines, labour, material handling, and routing.

Keywords: flexible manufacturing competence; flexible manufacturing capability; product development performance; manufacturing flexibility; partial mediation; Sobel's test.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSOM.2024.137319

International Journal of Services and Operations Management, 2024 Vol.47 No.3, pp.404 - 421

Received: 06 Jun 2021
Accepted: 16 Dec 2021
Published online: 12 Mar 2024 *

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