Premium
FLEXIBILITY, ADAPTABILITY, AND EFFICIENCY IN MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS
Author(s) -
Bordoloi Sanjeev K.,
Cooper William W.,
Matsuo Hirofumi
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
production and operations management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.279
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1937-5956
pISSN - 1059-1478
DOI - 10.1111/j.1937-5956.1999.tb00366.x
Subject(s) - adaptability , flexibility (engineering) , clarity , confusion , computer science , risk analysis (engineering) , business , economics , psychology , management , biochemistry , chemistry , psychoanalysis
There are many different approaches and conceptualizations of flexibility in the present literature. This lends itself to a lack of clarity and can result in confusion on the central concept. Here we identify shortcomings in the existing literature. To clarify some of the important concepts, we distinguish between flexibility (ability to change states), adaptability (ability to change within a state), and efficiency (resources utilized). To illustrate such distinctions, we present a capacity expansion model that takes flexibility and adaptability into consideration. Numerical examples show how the concepts of flexibility and adaptability can be used in manufacturing.