战略柔性：一个世界级制造业新的现实外文翻译.docVIP

本科毕业论文（设计） 外 文 翻 译 原文： Strategic flexibility: a new reality for world-class manufacturing The development of the concept of flexibility has been slow in the manufacturing literature because of the relatively stable market structure and minimal competitive pressure prior to the 1960s. In fact, manufacturing was not considered particularly important in the formulation of business strategy. As the competitiveness problems increased, practitioners and academicians began to recognize that manufacturing strategy was vital in supporting changes of corporate strategy. Consequently, a number of analytical models and empirical studies were developed to enhance manufacturing flexibility. According to Suarez, Cusumano, and Fine (1995), most empirical studies on manufacturing flexibility serve one of the following purposes: (1) to develop taxonomies of flexibility; (2) to investigate the relationship between flexibility and performance; (3) to cover historical and economical analyses of flexibility; and (4) to develop strategic frameworks for flexibility. Carlsson (1989), Sethi and Sethi (1990), Hyun and Ahn (1992), and Upton (1994) are just a few research works that provide further literature reviews on flexibility. Flexibility is often regarded as one of the competitive priorities, along with cost, quality, and innovation. Just as low cost and high quality have already become a requirement for market entry, flexibility might ultimately be the key to enhancing a firms competitive ability. While uncertainty can be a threat to some firms, it provides opportunity to those with higher degrees of flexibility, either market-oriented or resources-oriented. Firms that are able to deal with uncertainties that their competitors cannot have market-oriented flexibility. By reducing market uncertainties or exerting influence on customer expectations, firms have more strategic choices and can adopt a more proactive approach to competing. Firms with highly flexible production systems have