Sustainable Manufacturing Excellence: A Study of MSMEs’ Operational Capabilities in Jammu & Kashmir’s Geo-Political Environment

Entrepreneurs face an ongoing challenge to enhance their strategies and operational prowess in today’s highly competitive and dynamic local, national, and worldwide markets. This study investigates the evaluation of operational capacities (OC) inside Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in context of Jammu & Kashmir, India’s complex geopolitical and conflict-ridden manufacturing environment. The primary goal of this study is to examine essential operational factors that contribute to a firm’s success. The study dissects the operational strategies, policies, and gaps prevalent among eleven selected manufacturing enterprises operating in the region using a dual-method approach incorporating quantitative and qualitative analyses. The scholarly literature findings are then compared with the enterprises’ operational reality, revealing entities’ proclivity to use non-systematic techniques when reconciling various aspects of their operational capability strategy. Furthermore, the study reveals significant interdependencies among the selected operational capabilities, emphasizing their deep synergy. The value of the research extends beyond its immediate scope, connecting with both managerial practitioners and policymakers. The findings assist decision-makers to make intelligent and evidence-driven decisions in handling complex challenges by eliminating the operational complexities of MSMEs in conflict-ridden economies. This study will act as a benchmark and not only adds to our understanding of operational capabilities, but it also serves as an invaluable guide for competitiveness in this regions. This research article gives an idea about how operational capabilities are enabling in the conflict ridden and geographically different competitive manufacturing environment in Jammu & Kashmir India.