The ability to manufacture several products on the same production line and switch seamlessly among them allows a firm to both hedge against demand uncertainty and respond to competition. In this paper, we empirically analyze the deployment of manufacturing flexibility in the North American...

This paper examines the factors that give rise to intermediaries in exporting and explores the implications for trade volumes. Export intermediaries such as wholesalers serve different markets and export different products than manufacturing exporters. In particular, high market-specific fixed...

This study seeks to explain the differential effects of workforce flexibility on incremental and major new product development (NPD). Drawing on the resource-based theory of the firm, human resource management research, and innovation management literature, the authors distinguish two types of...

Purpose: This study examines the relationship between IT implementation and performance with manufacturing flexibility based on a sample drawn from a set of manufacturing firms. Design/methodology/approach: The relationships were analyzed using structural equations modeling (SEM) using EQS 6.2...

Purpose: This paper describes the use of simulation and case-study research to assess flexibility gains induced by the adoption of three Lean Manufacturing practices. Design/methodology/approach: We gather useful material and information about the manufacturing process of a selected Small-Medium...