Purpose: The fundamental objective of this article is to discern whether business model maturity is perceived through the prism of the ability to deal with unexpected challenges, overcome unprecedented threats, and use emerging business opportunities (agility) or – perhaps – more as a feature of the organization, which makes a business model less vulnerable to unpredictable external changes or sets it in a better position to make it respond effectively to these changes (flexibility). Methodology: The reconnaissance of opinions requires the creation of a catalog of desiderata that significantly identify agility and flexibility. Theoretical and design layers will use a method of reconstruction and interpretation of the subject literature supported by a discussion within a group of deliberately selected experts. This will be reflected in a set of parameters, on the one hand, characteristic of the categories of agility and flexibility and, on the other hand, reflecting business model maturity. Findings: The conducted research allows us to state that mature business models – as implemented by the surveyed companies – are perceived rather through the prism of the strategic ability of enterprises to quickly adapt to unforeseen and sudden changes on the market (agility category). Originality: The article includes not only academic postulates of agility or flexibility but also practical tips that enable constructing guidelines for decision-makers and managers of the agricultural machinery sector. The study carries a charge of a theoretical and empirical study. It takes into account knowledge and expert experience.

Streszczenie: Zasadniczym celem niniejszej publikacji jest opracowanie zestawu kluczowych-z punktu widzenia ekspertów pochodzących z polskich przedsiębiorstw wytwórczych sektora maszyn rolniczych-czynników warunkujących elastyczność jednostki wytwórczej.

Współczesny świat jest zdominowany przez przemiany w sferze gospodarczej. Dynamika zmian w otoczeniu przedsiębiorstw oraz stale rosnąca konkurencja, jak również skutki globalnego kryzysu ekonomicznego, sprawiają, że konieczne jest wypracowanie mechanizmów kreowania zdolności przedsiębiorstw do przetrwania w tych niewątpliwie trudnych i burzliwych czasach. W związku z tym pojawia się zapotrzebowanie na implementowanie takich sposobów zarządzania, często niekonwencjonalnych, które pozwolą firmie na uzyskanie przewagi nad konkurencją. Przyjmując przesłanki kreowania niekonwencjonalnych, często lekko zmodyfikowanych już istniejących instrumentów zarządzania przedsiębiorstwem, zwłaszcza w czasach spowolnienia gospodarczego na rynku dóbr przemysłowych, wydaje się zasadne zaproponowanie paradygmatu lidera kosztowego, czyli osiągania wiodącej pozycji pod względem kosztów wytwarzania. Jeżeli rynek kształtuje ceny i narzuca je wszystkim producentom, najwyższą marżę uzyskują ci z nich, którzy produkują najtaniej. (abstrakt oryginalny)

Summary The fundamental objective of this research paper is to determine whether contemporary management is recognized traditionally, in the light of a strategy and the entailing methods of operation, adapted to the target recipients, based on knowledge and studies, strongly embedded in the market reality or perhaps more as a paradigm, in which the focal point is the architecture of business processes, which comprises a description of their conceptualization, the determination of individual and necessary stages of operations and the modelling of these process, i.e., a business model. Opinion reconnaissance requires – in the first place – to develop a catalogue of features clearly identifying a business model and a strategy. The theoretical and design layers will utilize a method of reconstructing and interpreting the source literature supported by a discussion among purposively selected experts. This will be reflected by a set of key identifiers, which quantify a strategy and a business model subject to further assessment by the representatives of agricultural machinery companies. On the empirical level, it is important to determine, which of the suggested dimensions truly capture the sense of the concept in terms of practical operations of the enterprises invited to the study. It seems that the complexity of the problems and the so far limited scientific recognition justify treatment of the mentioned issues as the subject matter of the research.

The main goal of this publication is the attempt to answer the question: what is the leading type of raw material used in the manufacturing process of spare parts for agricultural machinery of the type selected. Such action in the conviction of authors will determine which of these areas the savings should be searched for, especially in the context of a lean-implying flexibility of the organization-management. In the context of the implementation of the predetermined basic goal, according to the authors, it is necessary to carry out a series of indirect actions, among which the following were distinguished: Analysis of the literature on management of lean organization, which implicitly allows to verify the accuracy and soundness of the research presented in the publication, Determining what type of raw material is the most commonly used in the production of a tested part of the, which will allow for the development of lean cost strategies within it. In the research the conceptual model thesis was adopted, namely: Type of raw materials used in the manufacture of selected spare parts implies a strategy for the cost leaning within it. This article is part of a preliminary study in the analysis and selection of raw materials in the context of lean management.