Time-to-Adapt (TTA)

Abstract

Manufacturing operations rely heavily on external sources and supply chain ($\mathrm{SC}$) networks, making them susceptible to material and operational risks. In response, manufacturers are investigating innovative strategies to enhance their adaptability and strengthen the resilience and viability of their value-creation systems. This shift has prompted an increased focus on integrating inherent adaptability while maintaining profitability and efficiency. Although indicators such as Time-to-Recover ($\mathrm{TTR}$) and Time-to-Survive ($\mathrm{TTS}$) are commonly employed to assess $\mathrm{SC}$ capabilities, the literature suggests that scholars and practitioners give less consideration to the internal factors of Mass Customization ($\mathrm{MC}$) manufacturers and their influence on mitigating $\mathrm{SC}$ disruptions, particularly the Time-to-Adapt ($\mathrm{TTA}$) indicator in manufacturing. This study utilizes a case study approach, complemented by a mathematical model, to analyze the role of $\mathrm{TTA}$ as a key internal controllable indicator within $\mathrm{MC}$ manufacturers and as an external controllable indicator for suppliers. The findings indicate that manufacturers can employ the $\mathrm{TTA}$ indicator to measure the adaptation period and enhance their adaptive capabilities. Moreover, it enables manufacturers to optimize profits by selecting viable production options in response to resource shortages.