An Internal Model of Manufacturing Flexibility Dimensions in Food Industry Based on Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM)

In the literature on flexibility, there is a consensus that manufacturing flexibility is a multidimensional concept with internal relations between its dimensions that can lead to increased manufacturing flexibility. The purpose of this study was to develop an internal model of manufacturing flexibility dimensions in the food industry based on interpretive structural modeling(ISM). This applied study was conducted in a descriptive modeling method. The model was developed using the reviews of 20 experts on manufacturing flexibility. The data were collected through a questionnaire for the interpretive structural modeling and the results were analyzed through the same modeling. The study findings showed that the developed internal model of manufacturing flexibility dimensions would help to understand the interaction between different dimensions affecting the flexibility and the consequences of their management. According to the results, process flexibility and labor flexibility were the most influential (leading) dimensions and product flexibility was the most influenced (dependent) dimension in the food industry. In addition, enhancing the efficiency of influencing factors might be suggested to improve the influenced factors and led to an increased flexibility in the food industries.