Delivery reliability, manufacturing capabilities and new models of manufacturing efficiency

Abstract

Purpose

To provide a selective bibliography on reported empirical evidence regarding the compatibility/trade‐offs relationships between delivery reliability and other manufacturing capabilities, and also identify specific areas for future research.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper conceptually examines published studies which have reported a trade‐off/compatibility situation between delivery reliability and other manufacturing capabilities such as internal quality, external quality, manufacturing costs, inventory costs, etc. Some different aspects of delivery reliability are also discussed.

Findings

Principally, the paper identifies a need to study in more detail the different variables (manufacturing capabilities, contextual variables and manufacturing practices) that could be potentially associated with the achievement of high manufacturing efficiency (high levels of outputs/low levels of inputs) in terms of delivery reliability, materials inventory and safety resources.

Research limitations/implications

The literature review in the paper is intended to be exhaustive. Nevertheless, it is probable that scientific papers that report related/relevant material are involuntarily omitted.

Practical implications

By means of a detailed review of the literature, the paper identifies specific themes for future research. The paper also should be of help to practitioners as it gathers the empirical evidence regarding the compatibility/trade‐off situation between delivery reliability and other areas of manufacturing.

Originality/value

Some papers have dealt with literature reviews on manufacturing strategy as a whole. Nevertheless, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper that offers a literature review on delivery reliability. This paper also suggests a novel model of manufacturing efficiency and also proposes a methodology (data envelopment analysis) with which this approach can be examined in more detail.

Citation

Sarmiento, R., Byrne, M., Rene Contreras, L. and Rich, N. (2007), "Delivery reliability, manufacturing capabilities and new models of manufacturing efficiency", Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, Vol. 18 No. 4, pp. 367-386. https://doi.org/10.1108/17410380710743761