Short‐term effects of benchmarking on the manufacturing practices and performance of SMEs

Facing increased competitive pressures due to globalisation and increased quality requirements from their customers, small and medium‐sized manufacturers must increase their productivity and their competitiveness in order to survive and prosper. One way of evaluating the attainment of this goal is to compare a firm's business practices and performance with those of a group of comparable firms, or with those of firms that are recognised for their excellence – that is, to “benchmark” the organisation. As management challenges have increased in complexity, benchmarking has become a strategic tool for organisations, both large and small, and for governments seeking to assist them. However, given a lack of empirical research, little is known as to the actual impacts of benchmarking. With this in mind, the present study sought to test a model of the relationship between benchmarking, the adoption of advanced manufacturing systems, and the performance of small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). The model was tested with data from 102 Canadian manufacturing SMEs that have participated in a benchmarking exercise.

[1]  Sylvain Delisle,et al.  An expert diagnosis system for the benchmarking of SMEs' performance , 2006 .

[2]  Kim Hua Tan,et al.  Building performance through in‐process measurement: Toward an “indicative” scorecard for business excellence , 2004 .

[3]  Thomas Grünberg,et al.  Performance improvement: Towards a method for finding and prioritising potential performance improvement areas in manufacturing operations , 2004 .

[4]  R. Dattakumar,et al.  A review of literature on benchmarking , 2003 .

[5]  Gianluca Spina,et al.  A comparison of practice‐performance models between small manufacturers and subcontractors , 2002 .

[6]  Mahmoud M. Yasin,et al.  The theory and practice of benchmarking: then and now , 2002 .

[7]  S. Talluri,et al.  Cycle of success: a strategy for becoming agile through benchmarking , 2002 .

[8]  Ed Mitchell,et al.  Something for nothing? A comparison of practice and performance in vulnerable and promising companies , 2002 .

[9]  R. McAdam,et al.  A business excellence approach to generic benchmarking in SMEs , 2002 .

[10]  A. Kochhar,et al.  Manufacturing best practice and performance studies: a critique , 2002 .

[11]  Kate Blackmon,et al.  Small firms under MICROSCOPE: international differences in production/operations management practices and performance , 2001 .

[12]  Melanie Older Gray,et al.  The use and effectiveness of benchmarking in SMEs , 2001 .

[13]  Joseph Sarkis,et al.  BENCHMARKING FOR AGILITY , 2001 .

[14]  G. Nelder,et al.  Benchmarking as a diagnostic process to increase the competitiveness of Small and Medium-sized Manufacturing Enterprises , 2001 .

[15]  R. V. Landeghem,et al.  Benchmarking of logistical operations based on a causal model. , 2001 .

[16]  D. Longbottom Benchmarking in the UK: an empirical study of practitioners and academics , 2000 .

[17]  S. Brah,et al.  Understanding the benchmarking process in Singapore , 2000 .

[18]  Jos van Hillegersberg,et al.  Enterprise resource planning: ERP adoption by European midsize companies , 2000, CACM.

[19]  P. Swamidass,et al.  Strategy, advanced manufacturing technology and performance: empirical evidence from U.S. manufacturing firms , 2000 .

[20]  Jos van Hillegersberg,et al.  ERP Adoption by European Midsize Companies. , 2000 .

[21]  Amrik S. Sohal,et al.  Comparing American and British practices in AMT adoption , 1999 .

[22]  Evelyn Ann Thomchick,et al.  The role of benchmarking in the performance of the import process , 1999 .

[23]  A. Carr,et al.  The Relationship Among Purchasing Benchmarking, Strategic Purchasing, Firm Performance, and Firm Size , 1999 .

[24]  Arun Rai,et al.  Intermediate Performance Impacts of Advanced Manufacturing Technology Systems: An Empirical Investigation* , 1999 .

[25]  R. Mitra,et al.  Analysis of Growth Stages in Small Firms: A Case Study of Automobile Ancillaries in India , 1999 .

[26]  P. Julien The State of the Art in Small Business and Entrepreneurship , 2018 .

[27]  Jonathan Wareham,et al.  De-contextualising competence:: Can business best practice be bundled and sold? , 1999 .

[28]  V. Prabhu,et al.  Best practice and performance within Northeast manufacturing , 1998 .

[29]  D. Elmuti,et al.  An overview of benchmarking process: a tool for continuous improvement and competitive advantage , 1997 .

[30]  Kenneth K. Boyer,et al.  Unlocking the potential of advanced manufacturing technologies , 1997 .

[31]  Michiya Morita,et al.  The linkage among management systems, practices and behaviour in successful manufacturing strategy , 1997 .

[32]  Kate Blackmon,et al.  Benchmarking and operational performance: some empirical results , 1997 .

[33]  David E. Booth,et al.  Production competence and its impact on business performance , 1997 .

[34]  Mohamed Zairi,et al.  Benchmarking supplier partnerships in the context of advanced manufacturing technology implementation , 1996 .

[35]  Nazim U. Ahmed,et al.  Operations strategy and organizational performance: an empirical study , 1996 .

[36]  Elaine Monkhouse,et al.  The role of competitive benchmarking in small‐ to medium‐sized enterprises , 1995 .

[37]  Pierre-André Julien,et al.  New technologies and technological information in small businesses , 1995 .

[38]  Christopher A. Voss,et al.  Alternative paradigms for manufacturing strategy , 1995 .

[39]  Christopher A. Voss,et al.  Benchmarking best practice in European manufacturing sites , 1995 .

[40]  George Mechling,et al.  Exploiting AMT in small manufacturing firms for global competitiveness , 1995 .

[41]  M. Sweeney Benchmarking for Strategic Manufacturing Management , 1994 .

[42]  Amrik S. Sohal,et al.  Investing in Advanced Manufacturing Technology , 1994 .

[43]  Vittorio Chiesa,et al.  Developing and Testing Benchmarking and Self‐assessment Frameworks in Manufacturing , 1994 .

[44]  Toni M. Somers,et al.  Factory automation and integration of business functions , 1993 .

[45]  Eric Thompson,et al.  Advanced Manufacturing Systems and Organizational Choice: Sociotechnical System Approach , 1992 .

[46]  Robert C. Camp,et al.  Benchmarking: The Search for Industry Best Practices That Lead to Superior Performance , 1989 .

[47]  Richard Schonberger,et al.  World class manufacturing : the lessons of simplicity applied , 1986 .

[48]  S. Wheelwright,et al.  Restoring Our Competitive Edge: Competing Through Manufacturing , 1984 .

[49]  D. A. Kenny,et al.  Correlation and causality , 1979 .

[50]  W. J. Conover,et al.  Practical Nonparametric Statistics , 1972 .