The deployment of manufacturing flexibility as a function of company strategy

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe a method to help companies identify the resources needed to provide manufacturing flexibility and meet the demands of their potential consumers while complying with company strategy.

Design/methodology/approach

The literature related to flexibility is reviewed and a classification based on the following four levels is proposed: abilities, dimensions, elements and resources that provide flexibility. Based on this taxonomy and using the principles of quality function deployment, a method is proposed that shows the correlation between these four levels, starting with customer demand and company strategy. To show its applicability, the method was used in a manufacturing process in an automobile manufacturing company that produces nine models of vehicles.

Findings

The findings of the study include a taxonomy geared towards manufacturing flexibility and a method that enables the resources that provide flexibility in an industrial production line to be identified in order of importance. After being tested in an automobile manufacturing company, the method was found to be an effective aid to the deployment of flexibility and to help highlight the main resources that needed to be introduced in the manufacturing process in order to ensure the flexibility required by the market in keeping with the company brand.

Originality/value

The proposed method is based on the structure described by Olhagen and West. However, a taxonomy involving the deployment of other levels of flexibility identified by Kara and Kayis is added, making the method more complete as well as ensuring that it addresses strategic company issues.

Citation

Esturilho, C.G. and Estorilio, C. (2010), "The deployment of manufacturing flexibility as a function of company strategy", Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, Vol. 21 No. 8, pp. 971-989. https://doi.org/10.1108/17410381011086793