Explicating the Agility Strategies Model in the Automotive Industry based on the General Policies of Resistance Economy

Agility is a prerequisite for improvement in the industry. Academics and practitioners have long acknowledged the importance of agile manufacturing in achieving sustainable competitiveness. In that regard, the general policies of the Resistance Economy as an upstream document can be a good guide for the agility of country's manufacturing industries under the current sanctions. Therefore, the purpose of this paper was to identify the agility elements and to explain agility strategies in the automobile industry. This research is an applied research in terms of purpose and a qualitative research in terms of method. Thematic analysis was done and document data was coded manually and using software, which led to the identification of 37 basic themes. Then, by using fuzzy Delphi method, a questionnaire was surveyed by selected experts of the automobile industry. The results confirm the strong association of the 15 themes with the industry under study. These basic themes were categorized into 3 organizer themes, using the cognitive mapping method, which was mapped into a thematic network. According to the research findings, 1- Agility of Human Resources through: Empowerment, upgrade of Training, increase of Skills, Experience and Flexibility enhancing, Jihad Work Culture, Standard Work Culture, and Strengthening Team Work, 2- Agility of Production and Operations through: enhancing Production Factors, Production and Product Flexibility, and Production and Product Quality, and 3- Supply Chain Agility Strategies through: Enterprise Resource Management, Competency Management, Variety in Supplying, broadening Co-operations and Partnerships, have been introduced as agility Strategies of the automotive industry.