# The Role of Advanced Manufacturing Technologies in Production Process Performance: A Causal Model
## 2 Literature Review and Hypotheses  
In this section, the different type of studies related to AMT are included; for example, [PERSON] (2007) investigated the interactions between the AMT implementation and integration, the acquisition of new management and organization principles. On the other hand, [PERSON], et al. [PERSON] _et al._ (2007) carried out an analysis on the relationship among the AMT investment, ownership structure, company size, and its performance in the motor vehicle industry in Turkey, and they concluded that investing in AMT provides a higher manufacturing performance, generates a better position in the market, a greater reputation, and customer attraction. In addition, [PERSON], et al. [PERSON] _et al._ (2008) proposed certain recommendations for AMT implementation, since companies require a structured and integrative approach. Also, [PERSON], et al. [PERSON] _et al._ (2007) analyzed whether investments in AMT have better results on performance or not, comparing it with investments on infrastructure improvement; the results show that with investment in both, the industrial potential will be better deployed. Similarly, there are some authors who have presented structural equation models that measure the impact of AMT on other variables; for example, [PERSON] and [PERSON] and [PERSON] (2008) used an equation model where the impact of AMT on Lean Manufacturing tools (LM) was measured, such as \"just in time\", quality management, and agile manufacturing (AM) in order to measure operational, marketing, and financial performance. The results show that AMT is a key infrastructure that is necessary for LM and AM development. Moreover, [PERSON], et al. [PERSON] _et al._ (2010) presented a SEM from the automotive industry in India, where AMT implementation was linked with five success factors, namely, education and employee training, organizational structure, management know-how, technical know-how, and manufacturing strategy, which are related with redesign factors production systems, human resources, and organizational strategies. Their findings show that the manufacturing organizations should include activities to improve the workers skills. Finally, [PERSON], et al. [PERSON] _et al._ (2010) presented a SEM where the AMT effected the innovation, exportation, and performance of manufacturing companies in Turkey, where they found that there was strong and positive associations between the AMT implementation and the innovation, exportation, and company performance. Consequently, there have been many reported studies in which SEM is used to model AMT aspects. However, there is a wide discussion about AMT investment strategy--while some authors recommend investing gradually and slowly in it, others suggest that the whole investment has to be made at once or only once [PERSON] _et al._ (2010), which may represent a high financial risk for the company. Thus, the tendency is that small companies only invest in _Stand-Alone Systems_ that are cheaper and have low financial risk, and then, depending on the achieved success, _Intermediate Systems_ are subsequently implemented [PERSON] _et al._ (2010). Then, the _Stand-Alone Systems_, after their success, require _Intermediate Systems_, associated with the automated inspection (AITE) of the products that come out from the CNC or DNC machines, or robots that work in isolation, and are then integrated in material handling systems [PERSON] _et al._ (2010). Therefore, the following hypothesis can be proposed:  
**Hypothesis 1 (H1). **_The Stand-Alone Systems level of implementation in AMT has a direct and positive effect on the Intermediate Systems level of implementation._Furthermore, _Integrated Systems_ such as CIM, JIT, and the MRP family require the support of other technologies in order to be successful when implemented.