Trade-off and compatibility between performance: Definitions and empirical evidence

In this paper, the issue of trade-off and compatibility is examined with reference to different types of manufacturing performance. The concepts of trade-off and compatibility are defined and formalised as functions in order to carry out the empirical study. Evidence is provided in terms of a) trade-off / compatibility between different types of performance, b) linkages between levels of compatibility and operation capabilities, and c) context factors which discriminate between compatibility and trade-off situations.