International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences

search-icon

Does Flexibility affect the NPD Performance? A Malaysian Electrical and Electronics (E&E) Industry Perspective

Open access
Main objective of the research is to develop the field of organizational performance by incorporating a wider scope of flexibility (MFD) aspects than is normally established in the NPD performance (NPP) literature. This survey-based paper is a confirmatory study using the resource-based theory, including 207 respondents with Malaysian electrical and electronics senior executives having mainly involved in development of new products. Five hypotheses were developed and analyzed statistically using multivariate approach. The results provided empirical evidences on how flexibility can be integrated holistically during development of new product. It suggests that successful leaders act as “integrating forces” on two levels: integrating the elements of corporate identity structures, and mediating between the corporate branding structures and the individual. The data used in this survey represent self-reporting by mainly the middle or top management in manufacturing organizations. Because of the chosen research approach, the research results may lack generalizability. This study would significantly contribute to the vibrant new product development of E&E manufacturing industries in Malaysia. To further illustrate, this paper includes implications for manufacturing organizations to adapt flexibility in the development of new products. Besides, practitioners would make better decision by indulgencing the relationships, in addition to enable application of concepts in this research to other environment such as oil and gas or food manufacturing companies and the firm’s decision makers would benefit from the findings of this research in this highly competitive and dynamic external business environment, in order to remain its competitive advantages over the competitors.
Abdulai, M. M. (2011). Market Orientation and Business Performance among SMEs in Ghana. International Business Research, 4(1), 241-251.
Abdulkareem, S. A., Adel, A. A., & John, R. A. (2013). Competitive Priorities and Competitive Advantage in Jordanian Manufacturing. Journal of Social Science and Management, 6, 69-79.
Acur, N., Kandemir, D., Weerd-Nederhof, P. C., & Song, M. (2010). Exploring the Impact of Technological Competence Development on Speed and NPD Program Performance. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 27(6), 915-929. DOI: 10.1111/j.1540- 5885.2010.00760.x
Adegoke, O. (2005). A framework for analysing manufacturing flexibility. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 25(10), 973 - 996.
Ajai, J., Jain, P. K., Felix Chan, T. S., & Shailendra. (2013). A review on manufacturing flexibility. International Journal of Production Research, 51, 5946-5970.
Alan, C., Marek, S., & Mike, S. (2009). A process for managing manufacturing flexibility. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 29(4), 357 - 385.
Alka, A. N., Prakash, J. S., & Damien, P. (2013). Testing an integrated model of operations capabilities. International Journal of Operations and Production Management, 33(7), 887-911.
Ang, S. H. (2008). Competitive Intensity and Collaboration: Impact on Firm Growth Across Technological Environments. Strategic Management Journal, 20, 1057-1075.
Art, K. W., Norman, P. M., Hatfield, D. E., & Cardinal, L. B. (2010). A longitudinal study of the impact of R&D, patents and product innovation on firm performance. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 27, 725?740.
Benjaafar, S. (1994). Models for performance evaluation of flexibility in manufacturing systems. International Journal of Production Research, 32(6), 1383-1402.
Berman, K., & Sami, K. (2005). The Supplier and Customer Contribution to Manufacturing Flexibility: Australian Manufacturing Industry's Perspective. Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, 16(7), 733-752.
Bhalla, A., Henderson, S., & Watkins, D. (2006). A Multiparadigmatic Perspective of Strategy. International Small Business Journal, 24(5), 515-537.
Brill, D., & Mandelbaum, M. (1990). Measurement of adaptivity and flexibility in production systems. European Journal of Operational Research, 49, 325-332.
Browne, J., Dubois, D., Rathmil, K., & Sethi, S. P. (1984). Classification of flexible manufacturing systems. FMS Magazine, 2(2), 114-117.
Cesar, C., & Ana, V. L. (2010). An examination of the relationship between manufacturing flexibility and firm performance The mediating role of innovation. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 30(8), 853-878. DOI: 10.1108/01443571011068199
Chandrashekar, A. (1994). A Study of some of the Trade-offs Affecting Manufacturing Flexibility. Arizona State University: Doctoral Dissertation.
Chryssolouris, G. (1996). Flexibility and Its Measurement. Annals of CIRP, 45(2), 581-587.
Correa, H. L. (1994). Linking Flexibility, Uncertainty and Variability in Manufacturing Systems: Managing Unplanned Change in the Automotive Industry. Aldershot: Avebury.
Deniz, K., & Umit, B. (2012). Material handling considerations in the FMS loading problem with full routing flexibility. International Journal of Production Research, 50(22), 6530– 6552. DOI: 10.1080/00207543.2011.653837
Dess, G. G., & Beard, D. W. (1984). Dimensions of organizational task environments. Administrative Science Quarterly, 29(1), 52-73.
D'Souza, D. E., & Williams, F. P. (2000). Towards a taxonomy of manufacturing flexibility dimensions. Journal of Production Research, 18, 577-593.
Edward, C. S., Wu-Chung, W., & Yan, J. C. (2015). The relationships among supply chain partnerships, customer orientation and operational performance: the effect of flexibility. Information Systems and e-Business Management.
Fantazy, K. A., & Salem, M. (2016). The value of strategy and flexibility in new product development: The imp
In-Text Citation: (Teoh, Abu, & Jamaludin, 2018)
To Cite this Article: Teoh, B., Abu, N. H., & Jamaludin, R. (2018). Does Flexibility affect the NPD Performance? A Malaysian Electrical and Electronics (E&E) Industry Perspective. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 8(12), 1498–1516.