A Panel Study of Manufacturing Strategies in Sweden

Abstract

Within the framework of the Swedish Manufacturing Strategy Project a panel study of 66 manufacturing business units has been made. These 66 companies participated in a questionnairebased study performed both in 1986 and in 1989. The results showed that the companies have tended to consolidate their positions in existing markets rather than put emphasis on efforts to enter new markets. The competitive means used to support this strategic direction are in 1989 even more biased towards high quality products, reliable deliveries and aspects of flexibility. The importance of low price as a competitive means has been dramatically reduced. This strategic emphasis has even more accentuated the concern for personnel issues within manufacturing. In order to create the competitive advantage depicted, great emphasis is put on decentralisation of the organisational structure at the plant level.

Citation

Åke Hörte, S., Börjesson, S. and Tunälv, C. (1991), "A Panel Study of Manufacturing Strategies in Sweden", International Journal of Operations & Production Management, Vol. 11 No. 3, pp. 135-144. https://doi.org/10.1108/01443579110145096