Manufacturing process flexibility revisited

Purpose – To provide an update on a paper published in 1987 in IJOPM. Design/methodology/approach – Provides an assessment and update of “An agenda for research on the flexibility of manufacturing processes”. Findings – Gerwin’s seminal work added welcome rigor to a concept, manufacturing flexibility, which had gained prominence during the previous decade. Finds that many of Gerwin’s insights have stood the test of time. A number of things have changed since that time, but others have remained much as they were. Machines have become more capable and computer-based controls have improved machine and process flexibility, but the character of that flexibility has remained very much the same. Originality/value – Revisits Gerwin’s conceptualization of manufacturing process flexibility and subsequent progress in understanding it.