Title: Pattern of manufacturing strategy implementation and implications on manufacturing levers and manufacturing outputs and business performance

Authors: Pradip P. Patil; B.E. Narkhede; Milind M. Akarte

Addresses: Production and Industrial Engineering, Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI), Matunga, Mumbai, 400019, India ' Production and Industrial Engineering, Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI), Matunga, Mumbai, 400019, India ' National Institute of Industrial Engineering (NITIE), Vihar Lake, Mumbai, 400087, India

Abstract: The strategic implementation of manufacturing improves competence of manufacturing function (Lawson, 2002) and develops capability in different areas of manufacturing system or levers or decisions such as human resource, production planning and control, organisation structure and control, process technology, sourcing and facilities. This study explores the manufacturing strategy implementation (MSI) in Indian product packaging industry (IPPMC) using three constructs namely manufacturing as competitive force, functional integration of manufacturing, strategic planning and communication. The recognition of manufacturing competency can be judged through improvement in the manufacturing output and business performance. This research proposes a comprehensive framework for linking and exploring the pattern of MSI, differences in manufacturing decisions/levers, manufacturing outputs and business performance of a firm. This is achieved by classifying the plants in four groups based on the increasing level of manufacturing strategy implementation using cluster analysis. The paper also highlights managerial implications, limitations and future scope of research.

Keywords: manufacturing strategy implementation; manufacturing outputs; manufacturing decisions; manufacturing levers; packaging products; packaging manufacturing; business performance; human resource management; HRM; production planning; production control; organisational structure; organisational control; process technology; sourcing; manufacturing facilities; India; cluster analysis; functional integration; strategic planning; communication; manufacturing competency.

DOI: 10.1504/IJICBM.2015.068162

International Journal of Indian Culture and Business Management, 2015 Vol.10 No.2, pp.157 - 177

Received: 28 Jul 2013
Accepted: 24 Nov 2013
Published online: 30 Apr 2015 *

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