A strategic management system for manufacturing:: linking action to performance

How the manufacturing function can reach its operational goals is one of the enduring questions in manufacturing strategy. We address this question in two ways. First, we examine the existing literature and empirical evidence on why the implementation of manufacturing strategies may fail. Second, in order to aid implementation of manufacturing strategies, we develop a conceptual framework and managerial tool that explicitly links operational actions with operational performance. Specifically, we focus on how the whole operations or manufacturing function should be viewed and managed from a strategic perspective, and how we should conceptualize the notion of manufacturing capabilities and competitive manufacturing. We illustrate the use of the tool by examination of a manufacturing strategy case study.