A Longitudinal Study of the Role of Manufacturing Technology in Business Strategy

Reports on a study of the use of flexible manufacturing systems in three strategic business units over a period of six years. Describes each SBU′s manufacturing technology strategy and contrasts it with tactical measures of actual operations to gain insight into the role of manufacturing technology in the SBU′s business strategy and its evolution. Presents study results in ten propositions which question our knowledge of how strategy truly evolves in organizations.