Title: Impact of competitiveness on business performance: a case study of manufacturing SMEs in Northern India

Authors: Shakun Preet Kaur; Jatinder Kumar; Rakesh Kumar

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra, India ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra, India ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, SBS State Technology Campus, Ferozepur, Punjab, India

Abstract: The present manufacturing environment is characterised by a number of changes which poses challenges to a typical manufacturing unit. Time demands a shift from the traditional manufacturing strategies as they do not fit to present market competition. A flexible systems strategy has to be designed for remaining competitive and delivering high performance. In this regard, the aspects of competitiveness which influences the business performance in a particular industry has to be identified. The present study is conducted on the overall framework of flexible systems management. A questionnaire-based survey is conducted in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across Northern India analysing three sectors namely automotive, machine tool and light engineering (mechanical components and equipment). The impact of the competitive priorities of SMEs on business performance in Northern India is presented by a structural equation model. The whole process of synthesis of situation-actor-process (SAP) leading to learnings-action-performance (LAP) under the flexible systems management paradigm has been depicted in the paper.

Keywords: structural equation modelling; SEM; flexible systems management; situation actor process; learning action performance; SAP-LAP; India; manufacturing industry; case study; automobile industry; machine tool industry; light engineering industry; competitive priorities; automotive management.

DOI: 10.1504/IJICBM.2016.078039

International Journal of Indian Culture and Business Management, 2016 Vol.13 No.2, pp.205 - 225

Received: 13 Jul 2015
Accepted: 19 Sep 2015
Published online: 31 Jul 2016 *

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