Manufacturing strategy implementation: Relationships with performance, plant culture, and plant structure

This dissertation investigates two questions related to the manufacturing strategy implementation process. Is manufacturing strategy implementation positively associated with reaching strategic manufacturing performance objectives in plants? Does the plant's context, specifically decision making structure and culture, affect manufacturing strategy implementation?; Manufacturing Strategy Implementation is proposed as a positive antecedent of Plantwide Individual Understanding of Manufacturing Strategy, measured by Plantwide Manufacturing Strategy Implementation Processes and Plantwide Individual Understanding of Strategy. Both Plantwide Manufacturing Strategy Implementation Processes and Plantwide Individual Understanding of Manufacturing Strategy are proposed as positive antecedents of Strategic Performance. Hierarchy of Authority (Aiken and Hage, 1966), and Plant Culture represent the plant's context in this study. Hierarchy of Authority (Aiken and Hage, 1966) is proposed as being negatively related to both Plantwide Manufacturing Strategy Implementation Processes and Plantwide Individual Understanding of Manufacturing Strategy, while Culture is proposed as a positive antecedent of Plantwide Individual Understanding of Manufacturing Strategy.; These propositions were tested empirically using data from 39 plants in three industries. Survey data available from an existing manufacturing sample was used to test a path model. Measurement work indicates that each scale has high internal consistency (a {dollar}>{dollar}.7), and loads on a single unique factor, showing high convergent validity. Discriminant validity results were less conclusive. Hierarchy of Authority showed a positive relationship to the downsizing programs in the plants, indicating that plants which had downsized had greater hierarchy. Plants which had formal manufacturing strategy implementation initiatives had less extensive Plantwide Manufacturing Strategy Implementation Processes and Plantwide Individual Understanding of Manufacturing Strategy. The path model was supportive of the relationships proposed between plant context and between the two manufacturing strategy implementation variables. However, a negative relationship between Plantwide Manufacturing Strategy Implementation Processes and Strategic Performance was discovered, and no relationship between Plantwide Individual Understanding of Manufacturing Strategy and Strategic Performance could be supported. Several post hoc reasons for this unexpected relationship are proposed.