High value manufacturing: A case study in transformation

In a continuously and rapidly changing global landscape, manufacturing organizations have to undertake transformational changes in order to stay in business. The aim of the current paper is to present an analysis of the transformation story of Highland Spring Limited through a high-value manufacturing lens. In order to achieve this, literature on high value manufacturing and organizational transformation is reviewed; Highland Spring's transformation story is described, including the research methods used; and finally, Highland Spring's transformation story is analysed and discussed. Findings suggest that while the literature on high value manufacturing provides adequate direction as to what high value manufacturing is and various models that could be pursued, it is the organizational transformation literature that provides guidance on how transformation to a high-value manufacturing model may be achieved. Further, the paper concludes that high value transformation is an emergent process comprising of a series of radical waves of change that is shaped by a guiding vision and the contextual factors.