Toward a taxonomy of manufacturing flexibility dimensions

Researchers agree on the importance of manufacturing flexibility but are somewhat divided on the dimensions of this important construct. This paper seeks to find a middle-ground by working toward a generally acceptable taxonomy of manufacturing flexibility dimensions. The authors build on extant literature and propose a theoretically grounded operationalization of the manufacturing flexibility construct. Operational measures of manufacturing flexibility dimensions are identified and tested on a sample of 240 manufacturing firms. Results indicate good support for the theorized taxonomy. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.