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The purpose of this paper is to develop and justify a theoretical framework for analyzing the relationship between manufacturing strategy, business strategy, time-based manufacturing competence, capability and competitiveness and their impact on firm performance for firms operating in the manufacturing sector. Many executives and scholars have argued that time is an important component for developing a brilliant strategy to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage for the firm.

This paper provides a theoretical framework primarily concerned with the relationship between time-based manufacturing competence, competitive priorities and firm performance. The framework suggests that firms focusing on time as a strategic factor at both strategic levels – business strategy and manufacturing strategy – can achieve a multi-competitive advantage, and, in turn, high performance.

To realize the level of performance associated with time-based manufacturing competence, it is essential for firms to identify the areas in which time can be reduced. These include reduction in design lead time, product concept to production; time-based competition for product-to-market firms; time-based manufacturing competence; product development activities; fast-to-product; and customer service.

This article provides a theoretical framework for linking manufacturing strategy to business strategy and performance to help expand the body of knowledge for other researchers to follow.

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the relationship between time-based manufacturing competence (TBMC), time-based competitiveness, time-based manufacturing capability, and the performance of SMEs engaged in the steel minimill industry in the USA.

This study was based on an empirical investigation of manufacturing firms in the steel minimill industry in the USA. The sample of firms was provided by the US Association of Iron and Steel Engineers. In order to obtain valid and reliable measures of the variables, previously validated scales were used to measure all variables. The primary data for the study were collected from a self-administered mail survey of 137 SMEs with the sample consisting of 71 SMEs indicating a response rate of 52 percent.

Statistically significant positive relationships were found between all independent variables and performance. The results also indicate that the high performers have a higher TBMC than the low performers. The findings further confirm the assertion in the manufacturing strategy literature which states that time, as a strategic factor, is a source of competitive advantage.

From a methodological perspective, a potential concern may be that the measures are all self-reported. Consequently, the relationships tested may be susceptible to the influence of common method variance.

TBMC enables SMEs to offer high-quality products at low cost and in a timely manner. This reflects the value of the positive relationship between TBMC and business performance.

This study’s finding identifies the need for time-based competition. The literature suggests that the strategic focus on time enables firms to obtain a sustainable competitive advantage. Nevertheless, this suggestion has been based on conceptual rather than empirical research. The results of this study provide empirical support for that suggestion with respect to SMEs.

Agile manufacturing is largely dependent on the capabilities of its people to learn and evolve with change. However, while agile manufacturing uses e‐commerce enabled technology in a decentralized organizational setting, it remains unclear how these individual capabilities should be linked to other organizational resources to create an agile organization. Another important modern management research perspective is the internal resource‐based perspective, resulting in a phenomenon called competence‐based competition with renewed attention for competence management. Competence management comprises the management, building, leveraging and deployment of strategic and operational competencies, the causal relationships and linkages between them, and the way competencies are embedded in organizational and individual resources. In this paper, we explore the relation between agile management and time‐based competence management, and study its adoption in small batch discrete parts manufacturing environments with the help of a coarse fact‐finding survey research.

The evaluation of time-based performance is a valued approach in the lean management thinking which is based on delivering value from customer's perspective. This approach contributes for long-term competitiveness and success in today's business environment. The focus of this study is to analyse the cycle time and manufacturing lead time with value stream mapping (VSM) in the preparatory stage of the textile fabric manufacturing process and to identify and improve the non-value adding activities in the value chain (VC). The study presents an insight on the translation of performance improvement across functions and how upstream supply chain (SC) segments can be linked in the performance improvement program. It also covers how the application of VSM improves visibility and planning flexibility in textile fabric manufacturing process.

The time-based performance was evaluated using VSM and recording of the activity times in the existing process. The impact of the quality of supplier's raw material was also measured contributing to identify the strategy for procurement and the means to establish a feedback system to the upstream segments of the SC. The methodology of VSM, observation of the practice and the expertise of the individuals involved with the process were utilised to develop the value stream maps and to identify value adding activities, non-value adding activities, existing gaps and plans for improvement.

The means for improving the time-based performance were identified and their impact was measured. The factors responsible for improvement are related to the production system and with the procurement strategy. The improvement was achieved in terms of available capacity utilisation, balancing the work flow in the preparatory stages, visibility of the process by measuring its capability and flexibility for the planning function. The study revealed that the effectiveness and enhancement of VSM and related tools should be adopted to address the issue of limiting success rates of long term and repeating application of such tools. Continuous improvement, innovations and the systematic embedding of VSM in the process life cycle provide the ways for achieving long-term success.

The paper presents a real and in-depth study on the application of VSM in the textile manufacturing process. The scope of the study is broad; it covers activities across functions with actual estimates of activity times in the manufacturing process for the focused value streams. It offers researchers the opportunity to analyse the translation of productivity improvement across functions and how upstream SC segments can be linked in a performance improvement program.

The study offers useful insight for the managers in textile manufacturing and other sectors for improving the time-based performance and achieving higher utilisation of capacity. It identified the production factors and their impact on warping and sizing cycle time in selected value streams and those which share common activities. It also identified the directions for future research when repeating the application of VSM in the continuous improvement cycle. Furthermore, since the industries need to progress towards advanced systems including Industry 4.0 standards, adoption of advanced VSM tool with relevant technology can align their production systems to develop the required capability. This will also bring a sustainable competitive advantage in the system.

The focused sector is stagnant in terms of productivity and innovation. The adoption of the advanced tools can facilitate the implementation of continuous improvement and innovation strategies.

The main focus of this study is to analyse and improve the cycle time in the preparatory stage of the fabric manufacturing process. This has impact on other important and tangible measures including capacity utilisation and work flow and intangible measures including production planning flexibility and process visibility. The improvement impact is across departments.

Competition, technological advancement and the sophistication of consumers’ needs have led to the evolution of competitive paradigms, in which, time‐based competition apparently has emerged as the competitive paradigm of the 1990s. While much has been written about the paradigm since it was first highlighted in the late 1980s, no comprehensive literature review is currently available. Seeks to provide such a review of the literature. Categorizes the existing literature into four broad classes: descriptive literature, managerial implications, case studies and applications, and mathematical modelling. Presents the key ideas and the associated literature to the reader as a guide to the total topic of time‐based competition. Reviews also the theoretic time‐based modelling literature, and so highlights the current status and limitations of this literature. Provides the motivation for further research to be carried out within the realm of time‐based modelling.

For corporations competing in a global marketplace, time‐based management of their technology is becoming a significant resource. However, the concept of time in management of technology‐driven industrial organizations is not new. Classical management theorists like Frederick Taylor and others used time‐based management in “scientific” management of operations or for planning, organizing, scheduling, and controlling. However, due to opening of international barriers, fast changing technologies, and rapidly shrinking product life cycles, time‐based management is acquiring an increasing significance in its tactical and strategic roles. Develops a comprehensive taxonomy of time‐based management based on its three dimensions: form, origin and application. Discusses trade‐offs and linking of time‐based management with other strategic criteria, such as quality, performance, and delivery. Outlines six specific ideas for implementation of agility‐based strategy. Discusses some managerial implications for optimal utilization of time‐based management.

During the 1990s, globalization and time‐based competition have emerged as important business strategies leading to renewed emphasis on the logistics function. This has opened up opportunities for strategic alliances between manufacturing firms and specialized logistics services providers, with each partner focusing on its core area of competence. Although such alliances are common in North America and Europe, the determinants of success of such partnerships in the global context are not well researched and understood. Moreover this concept is relatively new in Asia. This paper presents an overview of the issues that impact the success of a strategic partnership between manufacturing firms and global logistics services providers (GLSPs). A case study featuring Motorola’s Semiconductor Products Sector and United Parcel Service (UPS) is described, for bringing out the important tradeoffs in such an alliance.

Develops the concept of time‐based competitive strategies within the context of supply‐chain management. Explores the current interest in supplier integration as a source of competitive advantage in consumer markets and proposes that the Japanese influenced network sourcing model provides a method whereby the advantages of vertical integration can be achieved without reducing the flexibility of product and material outsourcing. A central feature of the network sourcing approach is the use of supplier co‐ordination and development, facilitated by a supplier forum known as a supplier association. These associations represent a series of linking pins, extending from the focal purchasing organization, whereby the joint determination of supply chain improvements can be formulated and shared between a focal customer organization and entire groups of suppliers. Argues that the successful exploitation of these associations is a major pillar in developing and sustaining continuous improvement on a supply‐chain scale, where the efforts of each and every supplier are aligned to the changing requirements of the consumer market.

Claims that time compression is a powerful source of competitive advantage that remains relatively underutilized in UK busineses. Details the research undertaken by the Warwick Manufacturing Group’s time compression programme (TCP) on the applications of time‐based approaches with a number of partner companies. Explores the nature of time compression in relation to the fundamental principles of the supply chain and the concept of “design for logistics”. The implication is that the complexity of these two areas of related scope can be clarified using a time‐based approach so that required management actions can be clearly identified. Highlights a new tool, time‐based process mapping, which forms part of the TCP’s standard approach to time compression, as a practical way of establishing the time‐based opportunities that exist in the business process.

A compressed cycle time enables products to be manufactured more quickly and has the potential of locking in the most profitable customer. Applies time‐based process mapping (TBPM), a time compression technique, to a firm that operates in a resource‐based environment, and undertake detailed case studies. Analyses the firm's key supply chains and examine related strategic issues. Competitive forces analyses indicate that depleting supply, which is valuable, in an attractive industry affects considerably the time horizon of strategy formulation. Robust supply chains integration requires a good consideration of a firm's resources, capabilities and external environments. Both the industrial organisation and resource‐based view are important to sustain business timeliness and operations management. It seems, from the case studies, that in times of intense competition with shortages of resources, continued globalisation, and the fast and slow world divide, the integration of value chains and systems is an effective way of achieving business timeliness. Enabling yet effective strategies and technologies only come to their optimum with proper leadership – the interconnectivity of the time compression triangle.