Lean, Agile and traditional supply: how do they impact manufacturing performance?

The study empirically explores the supply strategies of European manufacturing firms within the third edition of the International Manufacturing Strategy Survey. Four clusters are identified on the basis of the supplier selection criteria and the integration mechanisms adopted. Two clusters are similar to the Lean and the Agile models, while the other two are more traditional supply strategies, even if they present some advancement compared to the arm’s-length supply model. The strategies are then described in terms of contingent and structural factors and manufacturing performance. Lean and Agile strategies outperform the other clusters on many dimensions, while no significant difference emerges between the two in terms of performance.