战略柔性：一个世界级制造业新的现实【外文翻译】.doc

1、本科毕业论文（设计）外文翻译原文STRATEGICFLEXIBILITYANEWREALITYFORWORLDCLASSMANUFACTURINGTHEDEVELOPMENTOFTHECONCEPTOFFLEXIBILITYHASBEENSLOWINTHEMANUFACTURINGLITERATUREBECAUSEOFTHERELATIVELYSTABLEMARKETSTRUCTUREANDMINIMALCOMPETITIVEPRESSUREPRIORTOTHE1960SINFACT,MANUFACTURINGWASNOTCONSIDEREDPARTICULARLYIMPORTANTINTHE

2、FORMULATIONOFBUSINESSSTRATEGYASTHECOMPETITIVENESSPROBLEMSINCREASED,PRACTITIONERSANDACADEMICIANSBEGANTORECOGNIZETHATMANUFACTURINGSTRATEGYWASVITALINSUPPORTINGCHANGESOFCORPORATESTRATEGYCONSEQUENTLY,ANUMBEROFANALYTICALMODELSANDEMPIRICALSTUDIESWEREDEVELOPEDTOENHANCEMANUFACTURINGFLEXIBILITYACCORDINGTOSUAR

3、EZ,CUSUMANO,ANDFINE1995,MOSTEMPIRICALSTUDIESONMANUFACTURINGFLEXIBILITYSERVEONEOFTHEFOLLOWINGPURPOSES1TODEVELOPTAXONOMIESOFFLEXIBILITY2TOINVESTIGATETHERELATIONSHIPBETWEENFLEXIBILITYANDPERFORMANCE3TOCOVERHISTORICALANDECONOMICALANALYSESOFFLEXIBILITYAND4TODEVELOPSTRATEGICFRAMEWORKSFORFLEXIBILITYCARLSSON

4、1989,SETHIANDSETHI1990,HYUNANDAHN1992,ANDUPTON1994AREJUSTAFEWRESEARCHWORKSTHATPROVIDEFURTHERLITERATUREREVIEWSONFLEXIBILITYFLEXIBILITYISOFTENREGARDEDASONEOFTHECOMPETITIVEPRIORITIES,ALONGWITHCOST,QUALITY,ANDINNOVATIONJUSTASLOWCOSTANDHIGHQUALITYHAVEALREADYBECOMEAREQUIREMENTFORMARKETENTRY,FLEXIBILITYMIG

5、HTULTIMATELYBETHEKEYTOENHANCINGAFIRMSCOMPETITIVEABILITYWHILEUNCERTAINTYCANBEATHREATTOSOMEFIRMS,ITPROVIDESOPPORTUNITYTOTHOSEWITHHIGHERDEGREESOFFLEXIBILITY,EITHERMARKETORIENTEDORRESOURCESORIENTEDFIRMSTHATAREABLETODEALWITHUNCERTAINTIESTHATTHEIRCOMPETITORSCANNOTHAVEMARKETORIENTEDFLEXIBILITYBYREDUCINGMAR

6、KETUNCERTAINTIESOREXERTINGINFLUENCEONCUSTOMEREXPECTATIONS,FIRMSHAVEMORESTRATEGICCHOICESANDCANADOPTAMOREPROACTIVEAPPROACHTOCOMPETINGFIRMSWITHHIGHLYFLEXIBLEPRODUCTIONSYSTEMSHAVERESOURCEORIENTEDFLEXIBILITYANDCANBEMORERESPONSIVETOTHECHANGINGMARKETBYCOMBININGTHESETWOCONCEPTS,FIGURE1SHOWSTHEDOMINANTCOMPET

7、ITIVEPRIORITIESCORRESPONDINGTOTHEFIRMSABILITYTOCOPEWITHUNCERTAINTIESNOTONLYCANWORLDCLASSMANUFACTURINGFIRMSADAPTTOTHECHANGINGENVIRONMENTSWIFTLY,BUTTHEYALSOCANINFLUENCEMARKETDEMANDEG,BYCREATINGUNCERTAINTIESORCUSTOMEREXPECTATIONSTHATCOMPETITORSCANNOTDEALWITHBOTHREACTIVEANDPROACTIVEAPPROACHESHAVEPROVEDT

8、OBEEQUALLYIMPORTANTANDREQUIREDIFFERENTTYPESOFFLEXIBILITYINSTEADOFFOCUSINGONONEPARTICULARDIMENSIONOFFLEXIBILITY,WORLDCLASSMANUFACTURINGFIRMSNEEDASTRATEGICPERSPECTIVEOFFLEXIBILITYTHEABILITYTOQUICKLYADJUSTTHEIRCOMPETITIVEOBJECTIVESTOMEETNEWBUSINESSCONDITIONSINASTABLECOMPETITIVEENVIRONMENTLIKEDECADESAGO

9、,ACOMPETITIVESTRATEGYSIMPLYINVOLVEDDEFININGACOMPETITIVEPOSITIONANDTHENDEFENDINGITSINCETHECOMPETITIVEENVIRONMENTHASCHANGEDRAPIDLYANDUNPREDICTABLY,HOWEVER,NEWKNOWLEDGEANDCAPABILITIESARENEEDEDTOSUPPORTANYSTRATEGYTOCREATEASUSTAINABLECOMPETITIVEADVANTAGETHEREFORE,THEGOALOFTHELATESTDEVELOPMENTSINMANUFACTU

10、RINGSTRATEGYISTOATTAINSTRATEGICFLEXIBILITYCOMPETITIVEADVANTAGECOMMONLYREFERSTOTHECREATIONOFAPRODUCTIONDISTRIBUTIONSYSTEMTHATHASAUNIQUEADVANTAGEOVERITSCOMPETITORSACHIEVINGCOMPETITIVEADVANTAGEDOESNOTIMPLYTHATTHECOMPANYMUSTALWAYSDOBETTERTHANTHECOMPETITORSINALLAREASTHEKEYISTODOCERTAINTHINGSBETTERINMOSTO

11、FTHEAREASDECIDINGWHICHAREASTOTARGETISTHECENTRALISSUEOFCOMPETITIVEPRIORITIESCOMPETITIVEADVANTAGESTRADITIONALLYHAVEBEENACCOMPLISHEDTHROUGHECONOMIESOFSCALEANDPRODUCTANDPROCESSTECHNOLOGY,BUTTHESEARENOLONGERSUFFICIENTCOMPETITIVEADVANTAGETHROUGHECONOMIESOFSCALEISBESTILLUSTRATEDBYMASSPRODUCTIONFURTHERMORE,

12、HENRYFORDSDICTUMTHAT“CUSTOMERSCANHAVEANYCOLORASLONGASITSBLACK“STILLCONVINCESMANYMANUFACTURERSTHATTHEYMUSTCHOOSEBETWEENSTANDARDIZATIONATLOWCOSTORFLEXIBILITYATHIGHCOSTTHISHASBEENDISPROVEDBYJAPANESEAUTOMOBILEANDELECTRONICSMANUFACTURERSWHOACHIEVEANOPTIMALBALANCEOFPRODUCTSTANDARDIZATIONANDMANUFACTURINGFL

13、EXIBILITYTHEDYNAMICSOFTODAYSCOMPETITIVEENVIRONMENTSUGGESTTHATECONOMIESOFSCALEANDPRODUCTORPROCESSTECHNOLOGYWILLBEADIMINISHINGSOURCEOFCOMPETITIVEADVANTAGEASARESULT,MANUFACTURERSARETURNINGTHEIRATTENTIONTOBUILDINGTHESKILLSANDKNOWLEDGEOFTHEIRWORKFORCEWORLDCLASSMANUFACTURERSALSOREALIZETHATCOMPETITIVEADVAN

14、TAGECANBECREATEDONLYWHENTHEMANUFACTURINGSTRATEGYISWELLINTEGRATEDWITHOTHERFUNCTIONALSTRATEGIES,WHICHTOGETHERSUPPORTTHEOVERALLCORPORATESTRATEGYITIMPLIESTHATCHANGESINSTRATEGYARENECESSARYTOCOPEWITHTHECHANGESINCOMPETITIVEENVIRONMENTANDINTHEORGANIZATIONITSELFTHEREFORE,THEREISNO“BEST“MANUFACTURINGSTRATEGY,

15、ANDALLCOMPETITIVEMANUFACTURERSSHOULDBEREADYTOSHIFTFROMONESTRATEGYTOANOTHERASNEEDEDTHEAPPROPRIATESTRATEGYDEPENDSONAFIRMSSTRENGTHSANDWEAKNESSESTWOMANUFACTURINGFIRMSMAYDEVELOPDIFFERENTSTRATEGIESYETBOTHCOMPETEINTHESAMEMARKETWITHSUCCESSINADDITION,STICKINGWITHASINGLECOMPETITIVESTRATEGYNOMATTERHOWSUCCESSFU

16、LOFTENTURNSOUTTOBEPROBLEMATICWHENTHEUNDERLYINGCONDITIONSCHANGEGIVENTHEDYNAMICNATUREOFTHEMARKETPLACE,FLEXIBILITYHASALREADYBECOMETHEMOSTIMPORTANTCOMPETITIVEPRIORITYOFTHE1990SFLEXIBILITYISUSUALLYCLASSIFIEDBROADLYASPRODUCTORSERVICERELATEDSUCHASVOLUME,PRODUCTMIX,ANDMODIFICATIONANDPROCESSTECHNOLOGYRELATED

17、SUCHASCHANGEOVER,SCHEDULING,ANDINNOVATIONWHILETHESESOURCESOFFLEXIBILITYAREESSENTIALTOPROVIDECOMPETITIVEADVANTAGETOMANUFACTURERS,THEYTENDTOBEOPERATIONALORTACTICALINNATURETOACQUIREASUSTAINABLECOMPETITIVEADVANTAGE,MANAGEMENTMUSTDEVELOPSTRATEGICFLEXIBILITY,WHICHREQUIRESLONGTERMCOMMITMENTANDTHEDEVELOPMEN

18、TOFCRITICALRESOURCESNOTETHATNOSPECIFICMANUFACTURINGTECHNIQUESORIMPROVEMENTPROGRAMSAREINCLUDEDINSTEAD,THEEMPHASISISONDEVELOPINGSKILLSSUCHASKNOWLEDGE,CAPABILITIES,ANDAFLEXIBLEORGANIZATIONALSTRUCTURETHESEARETHEFOUNDATIONOFSTRATEGICFLEXIBILITYTHATALLOWFUTURECHANGESTOTAKEPLACEASNEEDEDAND,BESTOFALL,THEIRU

19、NIQUENATUREMEANSTHATNOONEELSECAN“COPY“THEMEASILYSTRATEGICFLEXIBILITYALLOWSAMANUFACTURINGFIRMTOSHIFTFROMONEDOMINANTSTRATEGYTOANOTHER,FROMONECOMPETITIVEPRIORITYTOANOTHER,BUTALSOIMPLIESALONGTERMCOMMITMENTOFRESOURCESANDAPLANOFACTIONPROGRESS,THEREFORE,DEPENDSONTHECURRENTSTATEOFTHEFIRMSRESOURCESANDCAPABIL

20、ITIESGENERALLY,STRATEGICFLEXIBILITYISATTAINEDTHROUGHATHREESTEPPROCESSAWARENESS,UNDERSTANDING,ANDIMPLEMENTATIONPHASE1BEAWARETHATONLYSTRATEGICFLEXIBILITYWILLPROVIDESUSTAINABLECOMPETITIVEADVANTAGEOVERTHELONGRUNDURINGTHELASTTWODECADES,QUALITYIMPROVEMENT,AUTOMATION,ANDADVANCEDMANUFACTURINGTECHNIQUES,TONA

21、MEAFEW,HAVEOFTENBEENPERCEIVEDASAPATHTOCOMPETITIVEADVANTAGEWHILETHEYMAYLEADTOPOSITIVEOUTCOMES,ANUMBEROFEMPIRICALSTUDIESSUGGESTTHATMANYFIRMSFOUNDTHEMINEFFECTIVEMANYMANUFACTURERSFOCUSEDTOOMUCHONTHEFORMORMECHANICSOFSUCHPROGRAMSWHILEOVERLOOKINGTHEDEVELOPMENTOFSKILLSANDCAPABILITIESNEEDEDTOSUPPORTTHECHANGE

22、SRESISTANCETOCHANGEISGREATERIFMANAGEMENTFAILSTOSEETHENECESSITYFORCHANGESUNTILMANAGEMENTFULLYRECOGNIZESTHENEEDFORLONGTERMCOMPETITIVEADVANTAGE,THEREISNOCLEARINCENTIVETODEVOTETHETIME,EFFORT,ANDEXPENSETODEVELOPSTRATEGICFLEXIBILITYPHASE2UNDERSTANDTHATTHEMANUFACTURINGFUNCTIONSPERFORMANCELINKSDIRECTLYTOCOR

23、PORATEPERFORMANCEANDSURVIVALUNDERSTANDINGTHEIMPORTANCEOFTHEMANUFACTURINGFUNCTIONANDITSLINKTOCORPORATEPERFORMANCEPROVIDESAFOCALPOINTFORMANAGEMENTTOTHINKMOREPROACTIVELYABOUTBUILDINGCAPABILITIESFORTHEFUTURETHEPOORPERFORMANCEOFMANYMAJORMANUFACTURINGFIRMSDURINGTHELASTTWODECADESWASNOSURPRISETOMANYRESEARCH

24、ERSCOMPANIESTHATDEVELOPACLEARLINKAGEBETWEENBUSINESSANDMANUFACTURINGSTRATEGIESTENDTOBEMORESUCCESSFULANDPROFITABLETHISFINDINGHASSUBSTANTIATEDTHEARGUMENTTHATMANUFACTURINGISINDEEDAKEYCOMPETITIVEVARIABLE,ESPECIALLYINTHOSEINDUSTRIESWHERECUSTOMERSAREINCREASINGLYCOSTANDQUALITYCONSCIOUSPHASE3FORMULATEANDIMPL

25、EMENTSTRATEGIESTHATCENTERONTHEDEVELOPMENTOFSKILLS,MANUFACTURINGCAPABILITIES,ANDLEANORGANIZATIONALSTRUCTURESTHEOUTDATEDMANUFACTURINGSTRATEGYBASEDONMASSPRODUCTIONISNOTRESPONSIVEENOUGHTOCOPEWITHRAPIDLYCHANGINGMARKETSANDSHORTENEDPRODUCTLIFECYCLESINADDITION,PRODUCTIONJOBSHAVEBECOMEMORECHALLENGINGANDCONCE

26、PTUAL,ASROUTINEANDREPETITIVETASKSAREPERFORMEDBYAUTOMATEDEQUIPMENTTHEFULLBENEFITOFTECHNOLOGYCANBEEXPLOITEDONLYWHENWORKERSUNDERSTANDANDCONTROLALARGEPARTOFTHEPRODUCTIONPROCESSSKILLSANDKNOWLEDGEAPRODUCTIVEWORKFORCETODAYMUSTBEHIGHLYSKILLEDANDFLEXIBLE,CHARACTERISTICSTHATCANONLYBEDEVELOPEDTHROUGHEXTENSIVET

27、RAININGANDEXPERIENCEINAVARIETYOFJOBASSIGNMENTSTHEREFORE,THEWORKPLACEMUSTBEREORGANIZEDTOPROMOTECONTINUOUSLEARNING,WHICHMUSTBECOMEANORMALPARTOFWORKLIFEEVIDENCESUGGESTSTHATNOTMANYMANUFACTURERS,PARTICULARLYINTHEUNITEDSTATES,GIVEHIGHPRIORITYANDCOMMITSUFFICIENTRESOURCESTOTRAININGTHEIRFRONTLINEWORKERSMANAG

28、EMENTNEEDSTOREALIZETHATMAINTAININGANDUPGRADINGTHESKILLSOFTHEIRWORKFORCEISCENTRALTOTHEIRCOMPETITIVESTRATEGYMANAGEMENTMUSTFOCUSONTHECULTIVATIONOFMULTISKILLEDWORKERSANDSTOPTREATINGTHEMASREPLACEABLEPARTSORACOSTTOBECONTROLLEDINANATTEMPTTOFINDOUTWHYTHEIMPROVEMENTOFFLEXIBILITYHASBEENSOELUSIVE,UPTON1995OBSE

29、RVEDTHAT“MOSTMANAGERSPUTTOOMUCHFAITHINMACHINESANDTECHNOLOGY,ANDTOOLITTLEFAITHINTHEDAYTODAYMANAGEMENTOFPEOPLE“P75THEBASICTHEMEOFASKILLSDEVELOPMENTPROGRAMISTOENCOURAGECONTINUOUSLEARNINGTHROUGHOUTTHECOMPANYTRAININGPROGRAMSSHOULDBEDEVELOPEDINWAYSTHATARECONSISTENTWITHCAREFULLYDEFINEDGOALSANDTHEAVAILABILI

30、TYOFRESOURCESMOREIMPORTANT,MANAGEMENTSHOULDANTICIPATEFUTURESKILLNEEDS,NOTJUSTIMMEDIATEONESCOMPLEXCOMPUTERBASEDPRODUCTIONSYSTEMSARELIKELYTOPREVAILTRAININGPEOPLETOCONCEPTUALIZE,DESIGN,ANDUSENEWPRODUCTIONTECHNOLOGYISASCRUCIALASADOPTINGTHETECHNOLOGYITSELFTECHNOLOGYISOFTENPERCEIVEDASAWAYTOREPLACEWORKERS,

31、ITDOESNOTMEANTHATHUMANRESOURCESARENOLONGERIMPORTANTINACHIEVINGCOMPETITIVENESSINDEED,THEONLYWAYFORMANUFACTURERSTOMAXIMIZETHEIRINVESTMENTINNEWTECHNOLOGYISTOUPGRADETHESKILLLEVELSOFTHEIRWORKFORCEASPRODUCTIONBECOMESMORECHALLENGINGANDCONCEPTUAL,BECAUSEAUTOMATEDEQUIPMENTPERFORMSMOSTOFTHEROUTINEANDREPETITIV

32、ETASKS,INVESTMENTINWORKFORCESKILLSDEVELOPMENTISINCREASINGLYVITALMANUFACTURINGCAPABILITIESSTRATEGICFLEXIBILITYISNOTJUSTABOUTAFLEXIBLEWORKFORCEITREQUIRESANAUGMENTATIONOFTHEWORKFORCEWITHADVANCEDPROCESSANDINFORMATIONTECHNOLOGIESTOSATISFYCUSTOMERDEMANDSADVANCEDPROCESSTECHNOLOGY,SUCHASFLEXIBLEMANUFACTURIN

33、GSYSTEMSFMSANDCOMPUTERINTEGRATEDMANUFACTURINGCIM,ISCRUCIALFORACHIEVINGMASSCUSTOMIZATIONANFMSCANMANUFACTUREASSORTEDPRODUCTSUSINGTHESAMEGROUPOFMACHINESLINKEDBYAUTOMATEDMATERIALSHANDLINGSYSTEMSANDCONTROLLEDBYACOMPUTERSYSTEMAUTOMATEDANDPREPROGRAMMEDWORKSTATIONSARELINKEDFORDIFFERENTOPERATIONS,ENSURINGTHA

34、TALLMEMBERSOFAFAMILYOFPARTSCANBEPRODUCEDWHENEVERNEEDEDWITHTHEINSTALLATIONOFFMS,GENERALELECTRICCANDELIVERACUSTOMMADECIRCUITBOXINTHREEDAYSINSTEADOFTHREEWEEKSLIKEWISE,MOTOROLAMANUFACTURESCUSTOMDESIGNEDELECTRONICPAGERSINLESSTHANTHREEHOURSAMPLEEVIDENCESUGGESTSTHATPRODUCTDESIGNSCANBESIGNIFICANTLYSIMPLIFIE

35、DIFCROSSFUNCTIONALDESIGNTEAMSAREUSEDACROSSFUNCTIONALDESIGNTEAMWILLHELPFACILITATEAMODULARAPPROACHTOPRODUCTDESIGNTHISAPPROACHPROVIDESAVIABLEPRODUCTDESIGNSTRATEGYTOMEETCHANGINGDEMANDWITHTHEADVANTAGEOFSTANDARDIZATIONMODULARDESIGNISTHECREATIONOFPRODUCTSFROMSOMECOMBINATIONOFEXISTING,STANDARDIZEDCOMPONENTS

36、ITREQUIRESMUCHCREATIVITYANDCOMMUNICATIONACROSSTHECOMPANYJAPANESEAUTOMOBILEMANUFACTURERSHAVEINVESTEDHEAVILYINDESIGNINGPARTSTHATCANBECOMBINEDINANUMBEROFWAYSANDUSEDINTERCHANGEABLYAMONGSEVERALMODELSALTHOUGHTHEMODULARDESIGNWILLOCCASIONALLYINCREASETHECOSTOFTOOLSANDDIES,ITFACILITATESFASTERINTRODUCTIONOFNEW

37、CARMODELSANDDRASTICALLYREDUCESPRODUCTDEVELOPMENTCOSTSORGANIZATIONALTRANSFORMATIONTHEULTIMATESUCCESSOFSTRATEGICFLEXIBILITYREQUIRESAREDEFINITIONOFTRADITIONALORGANIZATIONALFUNCTIONS,INCLUDINGLINKSWITHSUPPLIERSANDCUSTOMERSDEEPORGANIZATIONALHIERARCHIES,ASFOUNDINMAJORMANUFACTURINGFIRMS,IMPEDECOOPERATIONAN

38、DCOMMUNICATIONINRECENTYEARS,MANYCORPORATERESTRUCTURINGEFFORTSHAVEMOVEDTOFLATTENORGANIZATIONALSTRUCTURESTOFOCUSONCROSSFUNCTIONALINTEGRATIONANDEMPLOYEEPARTICIPATIONCORPORATECOMMUNICATIONISTHENFACILITATEDBYASTRUCTURETHATISFREEFROMDEPARTMENTALBOUNDARIESANDLIMITATIONSANULTIMATEGOALISTOTURNTHEENTIREPRODUC

39、TIONPROCESSINTOMODULESANDTOCREATEADYNAMICNETWORKOFSKILLSANDCAPABILITIESTHATALLOWSTHERAPIDINTEGRATIONOFRESOURCESTOCUSTOMIZEPRODUCTSORSERVICESMASSPRODUCTIONOFSTANDARDIZEDPRODUCTSISNOLONGERAFEASIBLEWAYTOMEETTHECHALLENGEOFCHANGINGMARKETDEMANDANDSHORTENEDPRODUCTLIFECYCLESINFACT,THEUSUALMETHODOFFIRSTIDENT

40、IFYINGAFIXEDCOMPETITIVEPRIORITY,SUCHASCOST,QUALITY,TIME,FLEXIBILITY,ORINNOVATION,ANDTHENDEVOTINGALLRESOURCESTOMEETITWILLNOLONGERPROVIDEASUSTAINABLECOMPETITIVEADVANTAGEWORLDCLASSMANUFACTURERSMUSTOBTAINSTRATEGICFLEXIBILITYTOCOPEWITHMOREUNCERTAINTIESTHANJUSTCHANGINGDEMANDPATTERNSANDPRODUCTIONVOLUMESSTR

41、ATEGICFLEXIBILITYISNOTANIMPROVEMENTPROGRAM,BUTISRATHERTHEABILITYTOADAPTANDTHEREADINESSFORCHANGETHEGOALOFSTRATEGICFLEXIBILITYISTOPROVIDEMOREOPTIONSSOTHATAFIRMCANSHIFTFROMACURRENTMANUFACTURINGSTRATEGYTOANEWONEWITHMINIMALPENALTIESINCOST,TIME,ORPERFORMANCETRUESTRATEGICFLEXIBILITYCANBEACHIEVEDONLYTHROUGH

42、THEDEVELOPMENTOFSKILLSANDMANUFACTURINGCAPABILITIES,WHICHEVENTUALLYLEADTOCOMPLETEORGANIZATIONALTRANSFORMATIONSOURCELAU,RSM“STRATEGICFLEXIBILITYANEWREALITYFORWORLDCLASSMANUFACTURING”SAMADVANCEDMANAGEMENTJOURNAL,19963P1115译文战略柔性一个世界级制造业新的现实由于20世纪60年代前期相对稳定的市场结构和较小的竞争压力，柔性概念的发展已经逐渐运用到制造业文化中。事实上，制造业并没有认为

43、商业战略的制定特别重要。随着竞争力问题的增多，从业者和学者开始意识到制造业的战略在支持企业战略的变化上是至关重要的。因此，许多分析模型和实证研究开始发展起来，以提高制造柔性。据SUAREZ,CUSUMANO和FINE（1995）所说，绝大部分关于制造柔性的实证研究都服务于下面的目标之一（1）发展柔性的分类；（2）调查柔性与绩效的关系；（3）涵盖柔性的历史与经济分析；（4）发展柔性战略框架。CARLSSON1989，SETHI1990，HYUNANDAHN1992,和UPTON1994的研究仅仅只是提供更多关于柔性的文学评论的研究作品。柔性常常与成本、质量和创新一起被认为是竞争优先的标志之一。正

44、如低成本，高品质，已经成为进入市场的要求，柔性很可能成为公司提高竞争能力的关键。虽然不确定性对许多公司来说是一种威胁，但是它也能为那些具有高标准柔性的公司提供机会，无论是以市场为导向还是以资源为导向。这些公司有能力处理不确定性，然而，他们的竞争者却没有市场导向的灵活性。通过减少市场的不确定性或增加对顾客的期望的影响，企业有更多的战略选择和可以采取更主动的方式来竞争。拥有高度灵活的生产系统的公司具有资源导向柔性，并且可以更好地响应不断变化的市场。通过结合这两个概念，图1显示了含有不确定性的竞争优势相对应的重点企业的应对能力。世界一流的制造企业不仅能够适应迅速变化的环境，而且他们可以影响市场需求（

45、如通过创建竞争对手不能处理的不确定性或顾客的期望）。无论被动和主动方法都已经被证明是同样重要的，需要不同类型的柔性。代替侧重于柔性的一个特定的层面，世界级的制造企业需要的是战略角度的柔性能够迅速调整自己的竞争目标，以满足新的业务条件。在一个稳定的竞争环境，比如十年前，一种竞争战略仅仅涉及竞争位置的确定，然后捍卫它，但是，由于竞争环境发生了迅速、难以预测的变化，新的知识和能力被需要来支持任何战略以创造一个可持续的竞争优势。因此，在制造业的最终发展目标是实现战略柔性。竞争优势一般是指竞争者创造一个具有独特的优势的生产分配系统，。实现竞争优势并不意味着公司必须始终做到在各个领域都比竞争者好。关键是要

46、在大多数领域中做好某一件事。决定哪个领域作为目标是竞争优先的一个中心问题。规模经济的竞争优势最好是通过大规模生产说明的。此外，亨利福特的名言“客户可以有任何颜色，只要它是黑色的”仍然说服了许多制造商，他们必须在标准化的低成本和柔性化的高成本之间做出选择。这一直是被那些实现了产品标准和制造柔性的最佳平衡的日本汽车和电子制造商所否定的。现今竞争环境的动态变化表明经济规模和产品或技术流程将会是竞争优势削弱的一个因素。因此，制造商正在把注意力转移到建筑工人的技能和知识上。世界级的制造商也认识到，竞争优势只有在生产战略与其他职能战略相协调，以支持整个企业战略时才能建立。它表明战略转变对于适应竞争环境的变

47、化和组织本身是必须的。因此，没有最好的制造战略，所有相互竞争的制造商应该根据需要为实现从一种战略转变为另一种战略做好准备。相应的策略取决于企业的长处和弱点。两家制造公司可能会发展出不同的竞争策略，即使双方都在同样的市场成功。相反，坚持用一种战略（无论成功与否）往往会在基础条件改变时产生问题。由于市场的动态性质，柔性已经成为20世纪90年代最重要的竞争优先权。柔性经常被归类为与产品或者服务相关的（如数量、产品组合和更改）和工艺技术有关的（如转换，调度和创新）。这些资源的灵活性为制造商提供了必不可少竞争优势同时，使他们更倾向于具体操作和战术的性质的研究。为了获得持续的竞争优势，管理部门必须制定战略

48、的柔性，这需要长期的承诺和重要资源开发。请注意，没有特定的制造技术或改善计划均包括在内。相反的，重点是发展技能，如知识，能力，以及组织结构的柔性。这些都是适应需要允许未来变化的战略柔性的基础；最重要的是，他们独特的性质意味着没有其他人能轻易地“复制”他们。战略柔性允许制造公司从一个优势战略转移到另一个战略，从一个竞争力优先到另一个，同时也意味着资源的长期承诺和行动计划。因此，进步取决于企业资源和能力的当前状态。一般来说，战略柔性是通过三个步骤实现的认识，理解和执行。第一阶段认识到战略柔性将会提供长期稳定的竞争优势。在过去的二十年，质量改进，自动化，先进制造技术等等，往往被视为竞争优势的路径。虽

49、然他们可能会导致积极的结果，然而许多实证研究表明，许多公司发现它们失效。许多制造商过度地关注这些项目的形式或结构，而忽略了技能和能力的发展需要适应变化。如果管理层忽视了变化的必要性，改革的阻力就越大。只有管理层充分认识到长期竞争优势的需要，才能明确的投入时间、人力和费用，发展战略柔性。第二阶段理解制造函数的性能直接链接到企业的业绩和生存。理解制造函数的重要性以及它与公司业绩的联系为管理层提供了一个关注点以更加主动地考虑关于未来的建设能力。在过去的20年间，许多主要的制造业企业业绩表现不佳并不使一些研究者感到吃惊。那些明确商业与生产战略联系的企业往往更加成功，获得更多利润。这一发现证实了一个说法，制造业是一个关键的竞争变量，尤其是那些顾客逐渐提高成本和质量意识的行业。第三阶段，制定和实施以技能、生产能力和依赖组织结构为中心的各种战略。基于大量生产的过时的制造战略不足以应付瞬息万变的市场和产品生命周期的缩短。此外，生产工作变得更加具有挑战性和概念性，而常规和重复作业则用自动机器来执行。只有当工人理解和控制大部分的生产流程时，科技的巨大收益才能被利用。技能和知识今天一个富有成效的工作力量必须是高度熟练和灵活的，只能在不同种类的工作任务中通过广泛的培训和经验来形成某种作业特点。因此，工作场所必须进行改组以鼓励持续学习，它必须成为一个正常的工作生活的一部分。有证据表明，很多制