To read this content please select one of the options below:

Achieving manufacturing flexibility through entrepreneurial orientation

Shih‐Chia Chang (Department of Business Administration, National Taipei College of Business, Taipei, Taiwan)
Ru‐Jen Lin (Institute of Business and Management, Lunghwa University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan)
Fu‐Jen Chang (Department of Business Administration, National Taipei College of Business, Taipei, Taiwan)
Rong‐Huei Chen (Department of Business Administration, Lunghwa University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan)

Industrial Management & Data Systems

ISSN: 0263-5577

Article publication date: 28 August 2007

2402

Abstract

Purpose

Entrepreneurial orientation (EO) purportedly enhances a firm's competitive edge, but its alignment with specific dimensions of manufacturing flexibility has not been convincingly documented. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of several identifiable aspects of EO on particular types of manufacturing flexibility.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the data collected from 115 motherboard manufacturers, the study employs multiple regression analysis to examine the effects of entrepreneurial practices on manufacturing flexibility.

Findings

The statistical results lead to the following conclusions: autonomy, innovativeness, risk‐taking and proactiveness have significant positive effects on new product flexibility; autonomy, innovativeness, and competitive aggressiveness improve product mix flexibility; innovativeness, proactiveness, and competitive aggressiveness determine volume flexibility.

Research limitations/implications

The research focuses exclusively on external manufacturing flexibility, ignoring, for the time being, internal manufacturing flexibility factors.

Practical implications

The outcomes of the present study reveal that manufacturing flexibility cannot be achieved by simply installing a computer‐aided system; rather, it needs to be planned, managed, and integrated with a firm's entrepreneurial endeavors.

Originality/value

This is the first empirical study to investigate the effects of EO on manufacturing flexibility rather than on business performance, which most of the previous research on this topic has emphasized. In terms of practical applicability, the findings provide plant managers with valuable guidelines for improving manufacturing flexibility by undertaking appropriate entrepreneurial action.

Keywords

Citation

Chang, S., Lin, R., Chang, F. and Chen, R. (2007), "Achieving manufacturing flexibility through entrepreneurial orientation", Industrial Management & Data Systems, Vol. 107 No. 7, pp. 997-1017. https://doi.org/10.1108/02635570710816711

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2007, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Related articles