Title: Strategic considerations of advanced manufacturing technologies in two developing countries: a coalignment analysis

Authors: Carlo A. Mora-Monge, S. Subba Rao, Marvin E. Gonzalez

Addresses: Department of Accounting and Information Systems, College of Business, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003, USA. ' Department of Information Operations & Technology Management, College of Business Administration, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43616, USA. ' Department of Marketing and Supply Chain Management, School of Business and Economics, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC 29424, USA

Abstract: This study investigates the issue of strategic fit between Advanced Manufacturing Technologies (AMT) investments and Planning and Implementation Activities (PIA), and its impact on performance in Mexico and Costa Rica, with the purpose of gaining insights regarding operations strategy of companies in developing countries. Using survey data collected from 125 manufacturing firms in Mexico and Costa Rica, we examined AMT investments, PIA and performance. The analysis suggests the existence of a second-order factor, namely, |strategic fit| that explains the alignment of AMT and PIA. The findings have important implications regarding the alignment between technology and infrastructural aspects for companies considering expanding their manufacturing capabilities into developing countries in Latin America.

Keywords: advanced manufacturing technology; AMT investment; strategic fit; structural equation modelling; Mexico; Costa Rica; Latin America; developing countries; coalignment analysis; performance measurement; AMT planning; AMT implementation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSOM.2007.013465

International Journal of Services and Operations Management, 2007 Vol.3 No.4, pp.444 - 459

Published online: 30 Apr 2007 *

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