Title: Business practices and performance in US manufacturing companies: an empirical investigation

Authors: Purnendu Mandal, Enrique (Henry) Venta, Ashraf El-Houbi

Addresses: College of Business, Lamar University, Beaumont, Texas, USA. ' College of Business, Lamar University, Beaumont, Texas, USA. ' College of Business, Lamar University, Beaumont, Texas, USA

Abstract: During the last decade, US manufacturing firms have gone through major changes in organisational restructuring, workplace culture and manufacturing practices. There are doubts about the inherent strengths of US manufacturing; various agencies, decision-makers and researchers are not sure whether the manufacturing sector is in a position to meet tough global competition. This paper, based on a national survey of manufacturing companies, presents an overview of the present state of US manufacturing practices and firms| performances. Statistical techniques are employed to analyse and ascertain if there are significant relationships between process management practices, product quality, organisational culture, financial performance, technology and innovation.

Keywords: best practice; business excellence; organisational performance; organisational strategy; organisational culture; business environment; total quality management; TQM; survey; US manufacturing; statistical analysis; USA; United States; process management; product quality; financial performance; manufacturing technology; innovation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBEX.2008.017571

International Journal of Business Excellence, 2008 Vol.1 No.1/2, pp.141 - 159

Published online: 17 Mar 2008 *

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