Description: Although manufacturing companies are aware of the need to react to increasing levels of competition, commonly they respond operationally rather than strategically. This book provides a practical introduction to the key challenges facing the manufacturing industry -- JIT, multi-skilling, quality, cost management -- and provides managers with a strategic approach which will lead to improvements in all segments of the manufacturing industry. Case studies illustrate the best and worst practices. Blending the author's extensive industrial experience with academic rigor, it covers topics such as the manufacturing environment; how a manufacturing firm competes (price/cost, quality, flexibility, innovation, service); strategy (the total company approach); quality; integration and computer integration; organization of the workforce; finance and profitability. For manufacturing/operations managers and plant engineers.

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