Strategy development for competitiveness: a study on Indian auto component sector

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to analyse different aspects of competitiveness relating to the Indian auto component sector, set within a globalised economy with its attendant pressures and constraints. It examines the strategies adopted for quality improvement, cost reduction, investment and competency development. It also aims to establish the relationship between strategies and the different dimensions of competitiveness.Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire was used to collect the research data: 75 valid responses were received. Statistical analysis of data acquired from the survey was carried out by a reliability test, t‐test and correlation analysis.Findings – A growth‐supportive environment, raising funds from the market and a shortage of technical manpower are major constraining factors whereas cost, quality, and delivery time are the main pressures on the auto component sector. The auto component sector is flexible in developing strategies and those strategies relating to cost, qu...

[1]  Tzu-Chuan Chou,et al.  Towards a framework of the performance evaluation of SMEs' industry portals , 2005, Ind. Manag. Data Syst..

[2]  Afonso Fleury,et al.  Competitive strategies and core competencies: perspectives for the internationalisation of industry in Brazil , 2003 .

[3]  Denise Fletcher Irene Hardill.  VALUE-ADDING COMPETITIVE STRATEGIES: A COMPARISON OF CLOTHING SMEs IN FRANCE AND GREAT BRITAIN , 1994 .

[4]  Barbara B. Flynn,et al.  Empirical research methods in operations management , 1990 .

[5]  M. Porter.  Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance , 1985 .

[6]  Ben J Hicks,et al.  An empirical study of the information systems infrastructure of engineering SMEs , 2006 .

[7]  D. Fletcher,et al.  Value-Adding Competitive Strategies: A Comparison of Clothing SMEs Case Studies in France and Great Britain , 1995 .

[8]  Gyula Vastag,et al.  Linkages among manufacturing concepts, inventories, delivery service and competitiveness , 2001 .

[9]  Kazem Chaharbaghi,et al.  Defining Competitiveness: A Holistic Approach , 1994 .

[10]  Luk N. Van Wassenhove,et al.  Trade-offs? What Trade-offs? Competence and Competitiveness in Manufacturing Strategy , 1993 .

[11]  B. R. Scott,et al.  Competitiveness: self-help for a worsening problem. , 1989, Harvard business review.

[12]  Simon Mosey,et al.  Understanding new‐to‐market product development in SMEs , 2005 .

[13]  E. Sadler‐Smith,et al.  Organisational learning style, competencies and learning systems in small, UK manufacturing firms , 2001 .

[14]  S. Garg,et al.  Aspects of flexibility and quality in Indian manufacturing management practices: a survey , 2003, Int. J. Manuf. Technol. Manag..

[15]  J. Nunnally,et al.  Psychometric Theory: NY. , 1978 .

[16]  Li Pheng Khoo,et al.  A DSS approach to managing customer enquiries for SMEs at the customer enquiry stage , 2006 .

[17]  C. Prahalad,et al.  The Core Competence of the Corporation , 1990 .

[18]  A. Fleury,et al.  Estratégias competitivas e competências essenciais: perspectivas para a internacionalização da indústria no Brasil Competitive strategies and core competencies: perspectives for the internationalization of industry in Brazil , 2003 .

[19]  Ronald Siu Man Lau,et al.  Competitive factors and their relative importance in the US electronics and computer industries , 2002 .

[20]  Kaushalesh Lal,et al.  E-Business and Export Behavior: Evidence from Indian Firms , 2004 .

[21]  B. Thomas,et al.  The development of ICT advisors for SME businesses: An innovative approach , 2006 .

[22]  M. Oral.  An Industrial Competitiveness Model , 1986 .

[23]  Luke Georghiou,et al.  Post-innovation performance , 1986 .

[24]  J. Ryans,et al.  DEFINITION, PERSPECTIVES, AND UNDERSTANDING OF INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIVENESS: A QUEST FOR A COMMON GROUND , 1996 .

[25]  Hittt and Manikutty.  Strategic Management , 2006 .

[26]  Derrick E. D'Souza,et al.  Manufacturing strategy, business strategy and firm performance in a mature industry , 1995 .

[27]  M. Porter.  The Competitive Advantage Of Nations , 1990 .

[28]  Elaine Aspinwall,et al.  An empirical study of the important factors for knowledge-management adoption in the SME sector , 2005, J. Knowl. Manag..

[29]  Boppana V. Chowdary,et al.  Flexibility and related issues in evaluation and selection of technological systems , 2001 .

[30]  R. Pace,et al.  PARADIGMS OF COMPETITIVENESS , 1996 .

[31]  C. Prahalad,et al.  Strategy as stretch and leverage. , 1993, Harvard business review.

[32]  S. Urbonavičius.  ISO system implementation in small and medium companies from new EU member countries : a tool of managerial and marketing benefits development , 2005 .

[33]  Robert E. Markland,et al.  Operations Management: Concepts in Manufacturing and Services , 1995 .

[34]  J. Slocum,et al.  Designing organizations for competitive advantage: The power of unlearning and learning , 1999 .

[35]  Paul McPhee,et al.  SME Information Sourcing for Innovation and Export Market Development: From Local or External Networks? , 2002 .

[36]  S. G. Deshmukh,et al.  Practice of manufacturing strategy: Evidence from select Indian automobile companies , 2001 .

[37]  Chris A. McMahon,et al.  A study of issues relating to information management across engineering SMEs , 2006, Int. J. Inf. Manag..

[38]  K. Momaya,et al.  Competitiveness of Firms: Review of Theory, Frameworks and Models , 2003 .

[39]  C. Prahalad,et al.  The core competence of the corporation’, Harvard Business Review, Vol. pp. . , 1990 .

[40]  P. Hardwick,et al.  The Competitiveness of EU Insurance Industries , 1998 .

[41]  H. Moon,et al.  A Nation's International Competitiveness in Different Stages of Economic Development , 1998 .

[42]  Bruce A. Walters,et al.  Chief executive scanning emphases, environmental dynamism, and manufacturing firm performance , 2003 .

[43]  Seung Kyoon Shin,et al.  Manufacturing performance: evaluation and determinants , 2005 .