Agile manufacturing and performance of small and medium factories in Uganda

Abstract

A framework was developed to examine the agile manufacturing and performance of small and medium factories in Uganda. Three hypotheses derived from this framework were tested on a sample of 103 factories located in Kampala Capital City and western Uganda, as the largest industrial hubs in the country. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to exam the strength of relationship. Findings suggest that small and medium factories that adopt agile manufacturing have improved their performance. The study indicates that factories that have successfully benefited from agile manufacturing emphasize more of process and information integration. Although the other two agile metrics were not pronounced as very significant (Customer sensitivity and collaborative strategies) in this particular context, appropriate collaborative mix and differentiation strategies are suggested.