Strategies to foster labor flexibility

Abstract

This empirical study identifies individual, organizational, and job factors of the range-number element of labor flexibility. Tenure and emotional stability are found to increase a worker's flexibility. Emphases on quality, speed, and flexibility (time) also have positive influences on labor flexibility. Finally, task complexity, joint responsibility for decision making, and automation require workers to expand their skill repertoire and therefore enhance their flexibility. This study focuses on a sound measurement of labor flexibility and proposes strategies to cultivate this capability.

Internal labour flexibility from a resource-based view approach: definition and proposal of a measurement scale

“…This definition differs from initial conceptualisations of ILF, which emphasised the relevance of functional flexibility (e.g. Molleman and Slomp 1999;Karuppan 2004) and therefore, of employees' abilities to move or reallocate once a triggering episode has occurred.…”

Labour flexibility: Impact of functional and localised strategies on team-based product manufacturing

“…Flexibility in manufacturing is a multi-faceted concept that can involve the following areas of the production system: machine; labour; material handling; routing; operation; expansion; volume; mix; new product; modification. While various types of flexibility have been discussed in the literature, Karuppan (2004) suggests that labour flexibility lays the foundations for the flexibility pyramid. This point was recognised earlier by Cordery (1989), who commented that in a variety of possible manifestations labour flexibility is the key to improving competitiveness in a climate of rapid technological change.…”

“…Karuppan (2004) argues that market diversity, consumers' demands for new and improved products and aggressive competition have propelled flexibility to the status of critical factor in a successful manufacturing strategy. Flexibility in manufacturing is a multi-faceted concept that can involve the following areas of the production system: machine; labour; material handling; routing; operation; expansion; volume; mix; new product; modification.…”

La organización flexible y su influencia en la implantación de prácticas de alto rendimiento: un estudio empírico

“…La flexibilidad de los recursos humanos es la base para el desarrollo del resto de dimensiones de flexibilidad organizativa (Karuppan, 2004;Upton, 1995;Wright y Snell, 1998) y puede constituirse en una capacidad organizativa que suponga una ventaja competitiva sostenible a partir de la mejora de la eficacia organizativa (Bhattacharya et al, 2005;Wright y Snell, 1998). Desde esta perspectiva, la flexibilidad de recursos humanos ha sido percibida como una capacidad que ayuda a la organización a interaccionar con el exterior (Snell, Youndt y Wright, 1996y Milliman, et.…”