An investigation of service‐based manufacturing performance relationships

Reports recent findings of a two‐phase study investigating new dimensions of manufacturing competitiveness, factory‐based services. Examines relationships between broadly defined service role performance and manufacturing performance. Data were provided by 64 manufacturing firms from the USA, Canada and the UK. Also addresses under what conditions a vital element of such service‐information would be of greatest benefit to the factory’s key internal customer ‐ marketing. A survey of manufacturing and marketing respondents within 32 organizations provides empirical evidence of the positive relationship between factory information measured as a service construct and delivery performance. Anecdotal evidence from interviews provides additional insight into the roles of organizational structure and information technology with respect to the information component of factory‐based service.