The Impact Of The Match Between Manufacturing Strategy And Human Resource Strategy On Performance Of Chinese Subcontracting Enterprises

Chinese manufacturing enterprises cut in the global value chain through the form ofsubcontracting, then accelerate the internationalization. During the financial crisis,accompanied with the loss of low-cost advantage and the rising cost of business operations,enterprises must carry out the restructuring and upgrading of industrial structure, and shiftfrom low value to high value-added. However, this process is facing many constraints, andhuman resources issue is the most critical one. Facing the new situation, Chinesesubcontracting enterprises must build a scientific and effective manufacturing strategy, and onthe basis of manufacturing strategy formulate human resources strategy, make humanmanagement more scientific. Resources and technology are very easy to imitate, thetraditional resources competitive advantages of economies of scale, capital access and markethave been weakening under globalization and changes of the environment. Human resourcemanagement is the ultimate source of sustainable competitive advantage.Manufacturing strategy and human resources strategy research have been carried out byoperation scholars and human resource scholars into independent research in two areas. Nowthe research for the match of manufacturing strategy and human resource strategy has stillbeen little, and basically in the phase of theoretical research. Under Chinese subcontractingcontext, this kind of empirical research has not identified. Therefore, the research of theimpact of the match between manufacturing strategy and human resource strategy onperformance of Chinese subcontracting enterprises is of great value. In this study, acombination of literature study and survey research method was used. Through theconfiguration theory, the conceptual model and research hypotheses of the relationshipbetween manufacturing strategy, human resource strategy and performance were emerged.This study used subcontracting enterprises in Guangdong Province as sample, collected a totalof214valid questionnaires. In this study, SPSS18.0and the AMOS18.0software were usedto validate the conceptual model. Study has shown that:(1) The conceptual model of thisstudy is acceptable, and has a certain degree of extension;(2) The impact of manufacturingstrategy and human resources strategy on firm performance showed different characteristics insubcontracting background, but the total effect was consistent;(3) Manufacturing strategyand human resources strategy matched each other. Enterprises that used of mass servers andquality customizers strategy were more likely to use internal type human resources strategy,used of specialized contractors strategy tended to use mixed human resources strategy, used oflow emphasizers more inclined to market type human resources strategy.(4) The enterprises which matched manufacturing strategy with human resources strategy had higher humanresource management performance than enterprises which did not match manufacturingstrategy with human resources strategy.Compared with the existing domestic and international research, the main contribution ofthis study are:(1) From the sight of behavior operation management, we must concern thematch of manufacturing strategy and human resources strategy in operation management andhuman resources management areas at the same time;(2) Configuration theory is the mostcomplex and reasonable method to study match, this study was based on the configurationtheory, did research of the relationship between manufacturing strategy, human resourcestrategy and performance;(3) The classification of manufacturing strategies based on thestrength of the competitive priority (multidimensional), rather than most previous studies in amajor competitive priority (single dimension), more in line with enterprises operationmechanism.