CORE MANUFACTURING CAPABILITIES AND THEIR LINKS TO PRODUCT DIFFERENTIATION

Notes that substantive relationships between dimensions of competition and supportive manufacturing strengths have not been clearly establis hed. Existing priorities-based models of strategy ignore the dynamics of manufacturing capabilities. Furthermore, these models employ highly aggregated concepts which mix together operational priorities, outcom es, and capabilities, making hierarchical relationships in strategy di fficult to define. Develops and proposes a new framework which modifie s existing models of business strategy and manufacturing strategy in o rder to clarify and define core dimensions of competitive differentiat ion and manufacturing capabilities. Discusses relationships among thes e dimensions that are apparent in previous research and case studies. These relationships are summarized by a comprehensive model with propo sitions regarding supportive links between manufacturing capabilities, manufacturing outcomes, and product differentiation. Concludes by sug gesting directions for tests of the model and for related future resea rch.