Making sense of high value manufacturing: relating policy and theory

Government policy agendas in high-cost economies focus on manufacturing competitiveness promoting what they term High Value Manufacturing (HVM). HVM is seen as the solution to problem of manufacturers being outcompeted by those low-cost economies. Despite ubiquity HVM, there little academic engagement with it leaving an under-theorized, emerging phenomenon lacking legitimization. Our purpose therefore gain a ‘theoretical foothold’ allow be characterized. Policy documents from UK and German governments European Commission are empirically analysed determine themes within their arguments. A literature consultation conducted reveal underlying theoretical strands informing these synthesis follows that relates identified strands. We find uses plurality multi-disciplinary, randomly drawn elements. However, despite this, some patterns can elements operations strategy, supply chain management innovation. By defining elements, this article makes sense rhetoric builds clearer understating so facilitating sharper more structured research into its nature contribution contemporary competitiveness.