ALIGNING WORK FORCE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES WITH COMPETITIVE PRIORITIES AND PROCESS TECHNOLOGY: A CONCEPTUAL EXAMINATION

摘要

Despite the accepted need for strategic alignment in the manufacturing strategy literature, there has been relatively little research aimed at simultaneously aligning decisions in the structural and infrastructural areas with the competitive priorities of an organization. This article attempts to bridge the gap by examining how work force management practices, an infrastructural decision, should be aligned with both the process technology of a manufacturing plant, a structural decision, and its competitive priorities. A conceptual model for linking competi- tive priorities, process technologies, and work force management practices is presented, and specific and testable propositions are developed for future empiri- cal research.