Mutually supportive or trade-offs: An analysis of competitive priorities in the emerging economy of India

To refine the theories of operations strategy, we need research from all different situational contexts, including different countries—both developing and developed. There have been many studies, including some replications, done in various parts of the world to further the debate on whether competitive priorities are mutually supportive or if they present potential trade-offs, but hardly any from a rapidly growing economy, such as India. This study is a significant attempt in that direction. After a thorough review of the literature, a set of hypotheses is introduced to test whether Indian manufacturers view competitive priorities as mutually supportive or trade-offs. The data from over 150 high-ranking individuals from over 75 manufacturers in India is used to test the hypotheses by way of cluster analysis and ANOVA. The resultant taxonomy reveals patterns that uniquely represent Indian manufacturers' view of the competitive priorities, namely quality, flexibility, delivery and price. The study findings have significant managerial implications, both for India and other developing as well as developed economies. The taxonomy will serve to gauge India's manufacturers' role in the world. From a researcher's perspective, this study makes a significant contribution to theory development, furthers our understanding of the strategic role of operations, moves forward the ongoing debate on the topic of trade-offs or complementarity, and paves the way for future studies in this topical area.