Literature review on the agile manufacturing criteria

Abstract

Purpose

To review on the literature and contribute a comprehensive model that would identify the criteria for attaining agility and suggest a procedure to successfully implement it in manufacturing arena.

Design/methodology/approach

The literature dealing with agile manufacturing (AM) criteria were studied. The meaning and definitions of AM were derived. Further, the criteria enunciated in certain papers were identified. These findings were used to design a 20 criteria agile model. Subsequently, its implementation procedure was designed.

Findings

While reviewing the literature, the following observations were made: time and again, some researchers brought out certain criteria of AM; these criteria do not comprehensively focus towards attaining agility; the researchers who have contributed these criteria have failed to evolve an implementation procedure.

Research limitations/implications

Contributions of this paper are based on reviewing the literature. Since, no survey in manufacturing arena has been carried out, the 20 criteria agile model and its implementation procedure may suffer from incompatibility problems in manufacturing arena. However, these contributions provide an avenue fro further researching in this direction

Practical implications

The customers' dynamic demands and the ever increasing intensity of global competition force the practitioners to adopt agile principles. The 20 criteria agile model and its implications procedure would enable the organizations to focus towards attaining agility. This process will prevent the derailment of AM journey and the wastage of time and money spent while moving towards agility

Originality/value

The study of literature on AM reveals that no researcher has enunciated the exhaustive integration of management and technology‐oriented AM criteria and their implementation feasibilities. Hence, the contribution of this paper is original in the literature world.

Citation

Ramesh, G. and Devadasan, S.R. (2007), "Literature review on the agile manufacturing criteria", Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, Vol. 18 No. 2, pp. 182-201. https://doi.org/10.1108/17410380710722890