Exploratory case studies on manufacturing agility in the furniture industry

摘要

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate the agility of advanced manufacturingrntechnologies (AMTs) in furniture enterprises, and explores the appropriateness of a typologyrnframework that correlates the technology infrastructure of the enterprise with its manufacturingrnstrategy.rnDesign/methodology/approach - This paper uses a clear and rigorous case study design andrnprotocol. Empirical data are collected using structured surveys of two strategically selected furniturernenterprises. The collected data are used to analyze the fit between the technology infrastructure of thernenterprise and its strategic goals, and how this fit correlates with the theoretical categories stated byrnthe typology.rnFindings - The case studies suggest that enterprise performance could be maximized if therncompetitive priorities and the customization strategy put in practice are in conformity with thernavailable technology.rnResearch limitations/implications - The findings of the case studies corroborate the all inclusivernhypothesis suggested by the typology. The lack of triangulation of multiple data sources for morernconfidence about the results or the typology framework itself remains a limitation in this study. Therntwo cases were representative to a certain extent of two out of the three theoretical ideal types statedrnby the typology.rnPractical implications - The explored typology can serve as a supporting tool for managers whenrnmaking strategic investment decisions in their pursuit of a mass customization strategy within arnspecific market.rnOriginality/value - The originality comes from the way the properties that should be displayed byrnthe technologies used in furniture manufacturing enterprises to develop agility are drawn together.