Research background: Flexibility has become a possible means for manufacturing companies to better compete in competitive markets. Furthermore, innovations are perceived as an important factor in company strategy, which can differentiate the company from the competition. Purpose of the article: This present study investigates the problems of cooperation flexibility and innovation flexibility in manufacturing companies among electrical engineering companies in the Czech Republic. The aim of this paper is to identify the impact of cooperation flexibility on innovation flexibility in small and medium-sized manufacturing companies. Methods: A questionnaire addressed to SMEs in the form of the Likert scale was prepared to gather information about cooperation flexibility and innovation flexibility. All parts of the questionnaire were tested using Cronbach Alpha. Spearman correlation and regression analysis were used for analysis. Findings & value added: The results of the research show that external cooperation flexibility and internal cooperation flexibility is related to innovation flexibility in SMEs. Results of the research show that there is a positive relationship 1) between external cooperation flexibility and innovation flexibility and 2) between innovation flexibility and business performance at SMEs. The findings of the research contribute to an understanding of the relationship between cooperation flexibility, innovation flexibility and also innovation performance. The novelty value of this paper lies in its perception of flexibility as having two parts, namely external (with suppliers and customers) and internal cooperation flexibility. In addition, innovation flexibility was investigated in two fields, product, and accompanying services to products. The view mentioned provides a complex view of flexibility.
Research background: Interfunctional coordination (IFC) is a part of market orientation and at the same time an approach which helps to improve cooperation between different departments or functions in a company. Market orientation is an approach aimed at external and internal elements and activities leading to performance increase. Services offered by a manufacturer are activities complementing their products. Manufacturers can benefit from the service differentiation and use it to design alternative marketing strategies. Generally, IFC and services - contributes to higher positive effect on business performance. For this reason, it is interesting to know if synergy of IFC and services have a higher positive effect on business performance. Purpose of the article: This article aims to determine how IFC and services at manufacturing companies in the Czech Republic influence business performance. The research question is as follows: Does the synergy of IFC and services in companies producing electrical equipment and electronic components have a higher positive effect on business performance? Methods: Sixty SME?s filled in a questionnaire to gather information about IFC and services. For measurement of correlation for two variables, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was chosen. Regression analysis was used for measuring the synergy. Findings & Value added: The main finding shows that the synergy of the quantities observed has not been confirmed, although some of the following relations were approved such as a positive relationship between: a) some items of IFC and items of business performance, b) some items of services and items of business performance and c) items of IFC and items of services. The result of the paper shows further consequences of IFC and services in today's manufacturing companies.
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