Aspects of flexibility and quality in Indian manufacturing management practices: a survey

The manufacturing function in most companies represents the bulk of its assets and the majority of its people. A healthy manufacturing function gives the company the strength to withstand competitive pressures. It gives the endurance to maintain a steady improvement in competitive performance, and also provides the operational suppleness to respond to increasingly volatile markets and competition. In this paper, flexibility and quality are examined as two major strategic aspects of manufacturing that affect the cost and the delivery performance of its output(s). The issues related to these have been identified and surveyed in Indian industries in the context of increasing challenges due to globalisation and enhanced competition.