A configurations approach is used to classify manufacturing firms on the basis of theircompetitive business strategies. Using data from 101 US firms, results based on cluster analysisfollowed by analyses of variance (ANOVA), confirm the existence of three theoretically derivedclassifications of business strategy: lean competitors, differentiators and price leaders. We thenexplore the differences in emphasis on the structural and infrastructural manufacturing strategyelements displayed by firms in these clusters. Results also support the notion that firms seek toalign their manufacturing strategy decisions to their business strategies.
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