Flexibility Framework
The following framework allows managers to delineate each
of the types of flexibility with which they may be concerned,
in an unambiguous manner, so that more fruitful discussions can
take place and more focused action plans be developed.
In order to characterise each important type of flexibility,
a manager should answer the following questions:
- Dimensions - What exactly is it that flexibility is required
over - what needs to change or be adapted to?
- Time Horizon - What is the general period over which changes
will occur/ Minute-by minute, days, weeks, years?
- Elements - Which element(s) of flexibility are most important
to us? Which of the following are we trying to manage or improve:
- - Range?
- - Uniformity across the range?
- - Mobility?
Some Definitions of Flexibility Concepts
Definition of Flexibility
Flexibility is the ability to change or react with little
penalty in time, effort, cost or performance.
Internal or External?
Flexibility may be seen as both a set of capabilities (internal:
"what can we do") and a source of competitive advantage
in a particular environment (external: "what the customer
sees"). For the purposes of both manufacturing improvement
and the development of manufacturing strategies, it is important
to distinguish the capability of being flexible from the competitive
need it is intended to match or the customer related advantage
derived from it.
Definition of the Manufacturing System
The definition of the boundary of the manufacturing system
that is to provide flexibility is often a source of confusion.
For this reason it is important to be clear about the system
under discussion - are we talking about: the machine? the factory
floor? the firm? or the firm in conjunction with its supplier
network. We need to get this right to provide the most useful
level for analysis.
Potential Flexibility or Demonstrated Flexibility?
Are you using the term flexibility to describe the potential
of the organisation to perform a set of hypothetical tasks?
or
Are you talking about demonstrated abilities such as the provision
of a broad product range?
Robustness and Agility
The definition of flexibility noted above includes the words
"adapt" and "change". "Adapt" emphasises
the ability to maintain a status quo despite a change (which
may be internal or external to the firm). "Change"
emphasises the ability to instigate change rather than react
to it. Discussions can get side-tracked by individuals who argue
that "ability to maintain status quo" is robustness
or the "ability to instigate change" is agility. Both
these are flexibility issues, and most situations demand types
of flexibility which allow change that may be seen as both reactive
and proactive: the source of the need for change depends on one's
point of view, but is a separate issue from the ability to change.
Some "Categories" of Manufacturing Flexibility
- Routing Flexibility
- Volume Flexibility
- Machine Flexibility
- Product Flexibility
- Program Flexibility
- Labour Flexibility
- Mix Flexibility
- Long-term Flexibility
- Design-change Flexibility
- Action Flexibility
- Short-term Flexibility
- Operation Flexibility
- State Flexibility
- Expansion Flexibility
- Process Flexibility
Reference
- David M Upton, The Management of Manufacturing Flexibility,
California Management Review, vol. 36, no 2, 1994.
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