Do foreign-owned firms manage advanced manufacturing technology better?

• Published in: International journal of operations & production management Vol. 22; no. 7; pp. 759 - 771
• Main Authors: Beaumont, Nicholas, Schroder, Richard, Sohal, Amrik
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bradford MCB UP Ltd 01.07.2002; Emerald Group Publishing Limited
• Subjects: Advanced manufacturing technologies; Australia; Automation; Comparative analysis; Competitive advantage; Costs; Domestic; Electronic data interchange; Financing; Flexibility; Hypotheses; Interactive learning; Inventory; Investment; Manufacturers; Manufacturing; Operations research; Overseas; Ownership; Product development; Production management; Productivity; Regression analysis; Statistical analysis; Studies; Technology; Australia; Canada; Operating performance; Canada; Ownership; Australia; Advanced manufacturing technologies
• ISSN: 0144-3577; 1758-6593
• DOI: 10.1108/01443570210433535

This paper uses regression analysis of factors obtained from measured variables to find statistical relationships between investment in advanced manufacturing technology (AMT), the planning effort associated with that investment and operational performance of manufacturing firms operating in Australia and Canada. We used this data to test the proposition that foreign firms manage the implementation of AMT better than their domestic counterparts. Several reasons have been advanced for this largely untested proposition. Three hypotheses derived from it were supported by statistical analysis even when the effect of different organisational sizes is taken into account; lending some support to the persistent idea that Australian managers are not as effective as their overseas counterparts.