Measurement issues in empirical research: improving measures of operations strategy and advanced manufacturing technology

Abstract Our objective in this paper is to examine measures used in survey‐based research in operations management. Specifically, we examine measures commonly used to assess operations strategy and advanced manufacturing technology in survey‐based research. Examining two measures provides the ability to examine problems common to many of the measures used in operations management research. In addition, the two measures are addressing two different levels of strategic analysis: competitive priorities and a specific structural decision that (should) support these priorities. This should give us a broader understanding of the measurement issues we are facing as a field. We argue that while many of the commonly employed measures display many worthwhile properties, further refinement of measures and methods is needed to improve the field as a whole. Suggestions to improve measures and methods used in the field are then offered.