AN INVESTIGATION OF SERVICE-BASED MANUFACTURING PERFORMANCE RELATIONSHIPS

Reports recent findings of a two-phase study investigating new dimensi ons of manufacturing competitiveness, factory-based services. Examines relationships between broadly defined service role performance and ma nufacturing performance. Data were provided by 64 manufacturing firms from the USA, Canada and the UK. Also addresses under what conditions a vital element of such service-information would be of greatest benef it to the factory's key internal customer - marketing. A survey of man ufacturing and marketing respondents within 32 organizations provides empirical evidence of the positive relationship between factory inform ation measured service construct and delivery performance. Anecdotal e vidence from interviews provides additional insight into the roles of organizational structure and information technology with respect to th e information component of factory-based service.