Abstract
To compete in the current volatile and unpredictable context, manufacturing firms increasingly need reconfigurability, i.e. the capability to adapt the production capacities and functionalities of their manufacturing systems according to evolving product families. To be attractive for practitioners, reconfigurability should require a reasonably low effort. In 2020, the COVID-19 outbreak has quickly twisted market requirements: in an unexpected market context, many firms have been reconfiguring their plants and networks to satisfy, with low efforts, the surge in the demand for very specific products. This paper analyses the reaction upheld by specific Italian manufacturing firms to the outbreak, to derive practical insights on possible ways to achieve reconfigurability in manufacturing. As for results, four insights are provided, regarding: the pre-existing know how held by firms; their network configuration; the modularity of products; and the use of smart and digital technologies. Additionally, remarking the relevance of collaboration between different firms, this paper sows the seeds for linking the reconfigurability theory with the dynamic capabilities theory.
Highlights
Manufacturing companies are nowadays dealing with volatile and unpredictable market requirements and, to keep their competitiveness over time, they need to develop the reconfigurability capability [1, 2]
Reconfigurability - referred to as changeability at plant and firm levels in several papers - is the capability of a manufacturing firm to repeatedly change or rearrange its manufacturing systems with a reasonable effort in order to produce evolving product families [3, 4]
This study examined implemented actions in terms of changes in the production capacity and/or functionality of production systems and identified the enablers of such actions; providing insights on enablers of scalability and convertibility
Summary
Manufacturing companies are nowadays dealing with volatile and unpredictable market requirements and, to keep their competitiveness over time, they need to develop the reconfigurability capability [1, 2]. People have been required to wear masks when leaving their homes and to sanitize frequently their hands In this landscape, a huge demand for masks and sanitizing gels from common people and ventilators from hospitals has been rising and has been replacing the demand for manufacturing items such as clothing and vehicles. The research question addressed in this paper is: “What reconfigurabilityrelated insights are manufacturing firms reacting to the COVID-19 outbreak providing to the academic and business communities?” this research captures concrete insights from the reactions - during the period from February to April 2020 - to the outbreak of a group of Italian manufacturing firms serving the Italian market.
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