World class manufacturing in make to order batch production SMEs: an exploratory analysis in northern Italy
The applicability of world class manufacturing (WCM) in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) is a hotly debated topic. This paper belongs to this stream of research and presents a statistical survey designed to assess which WCM practices, if any, are implemented by SMEs and their effects on operational performances. Specifically, a comprehensive questionnaire was submitted to a sample of North Italian make to order batch production SMEs, in the furniture, precision mechanics and textile fashion industries. To assure consistency, and to avoid subjective interpretations, practices included in the questionnaire were adequately contextualised and answers were measured with an innovative five point Likert type scale. Outcomes, relative to the reference domain, demonstrate that SMEs can overcome quality cost time tradeoffs, using an integrated set of WCM practices. Results also indicate that belonging to a formal business group is a powerful enabler for a successful implementation of WCM, in SMEs.