Heterogeneity and transferring practices: implementing flow manufacturing in multiple plants

Abstract

Adopting new practices to develop capabilities and enhance competitiveness is a goal for many firms. This study of a corporate initiative to implement flow manufacturing in multiple plants highlights some elements of the interaction between the content of a complex practice, the sources of the practice knowledge, and the characteristics and competitive priorities of the recipients of the practice. Heterogeneity among the plants, stemming from both differences in resource endowments and differences in choices made by managers, presents challenges to achieving firm-wide distinctiveness. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.