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Introduction
In part 1 of this article (Volume 14 Number 12) the design formanufacturability (DFM) literature was reviewed from different facets.First, product and processes design, as one of the most importantdecisions in the manufacturing firm, was discussed in both traditionaland modern manufacturing approaches. Second, several definitions ofdesign for manufacturability and concurrent engineering (CE) wereanalysed; and a comprehensive definition of DFM was proposed. Third, themain pillars of DFM and the benefits a company might gain bysuccessfully implementing DFM were discussed. Finally, their importancefor its successful implementation was examined.
This article deals with the empirical part of our research on DFM andshows how proper implementation of DFM can lead to shortertime-to-market. To test this hypothesis, data from three industry groupsin the USA were collected. Research methodology is explained below.
Research methodology
Problem statement and the rationale of this study
When I embarked on this research project, I was motivated by a numberof factors. First, the existence of a rich database on the DFM,collected empirically by the author. Second, the importance oftime-to-market as an essential part of time-based management. Third, thedevelopment of an intensity index that measures the level of DFMactivities and the importance of testing empirically its impact ontime-to-market. Fourth, the operationalization of DFM as a time-basedtechnology. Finally, DFM can be used as a competitive advantage, ifimplemented properly and integrated successfully with other time-basedtechnologies.
Accordingly, the following research questions and problem statementsemerge:1
Is there a statistically significantdifference in time-to-market among firms with different intensity levelsof DFM?
2
Is there an association between the relative intensityof DFM and time-to-market? How strong is this association?
3
Is there an association between the relative intensityof DFM and introducing new products and processes? How strong is thisassociation?
It is, therefore, hypothesized that firms with DFM intensity are morelikely than their counterparts to have shorter time-to-market, introducenew products and processes more often, and be more responsive to theircustomer needs.
The sample
The sample is composed of 165 manufacturing firms in three industrygroups in the USA. These are: industrial machinery equipment, electronicand electric machinery equipment, and transportation equipment. Thetwo-digit standard Industrial Classification codes (SIC) for theseindustries are 35, 36, and 37 respectively. Table I shows the number of respondents in each industry group.
Data collection
Data on the intensity level of DFM and...