This paper examines the effect of product variety on manufacturing performance, defined here as total labor productivity and consumer-perceived product quality. Using data from the International Motor Vehicle Program (M.I.T.) study of 70 assembly plants worldwide, the paper examines three...

This paper uses case studies of shop-floor problem-solving at three automotive assembly plants to examine organizational influences on process quality improvement. Three complex quality problems---water leaks, paint defects, and electrical defects---were chosen because they are universally found...

Multinational companies are a conduit by which superior organizing principles can be transferred across national, institutional, and cultural environments. However, for such transplantation efforts to be successful, the companies face the challenge of adapting their practices and principles to...

Early research on inter-organizational trust drew on theories about social ties among individuals, for example, duration of ties and amount of interaction, yet these proved inadequate to explain the diverse arrangements arising in international business. Dyer and Chu's award-winning JIBS paper...

This paper examines employee reactions to the introduction of work teams, reduced job classifications, and skill-based pay as established through the Modern Operating Agreement (MOA) between Chrysler Corporation and the United Auto Workers. Survey data suggest that workers responded favorably to...