Honda’s Global Flexifactory Network

Flexifactories, where the product made can be changed at low cost and quickly, constitute an important aspect of manufacturing flexibility. Examination of Honda flexifactories worldwide reveals how models are changed over, the model mix altered, and whole factories switched to making new types of products. Flexifactories are logically operated as networks, constituting a bridge between the “micro” flexibility of people and machines and overall corporate flexibility, resulting in improved mass production. This is not to argue that the flexibility of flexifactories is without limit, nor that they do not contain their own rigidities. Further empirical and theoretical research is needed to compare the flexifactory model with previous models of optimal factory organization.