Restoring Our Competitive Edge

Restoring Our Competitive Edge PDF

Author: Robert H. Hayes

Publisher: New York : Wiley

Published: 1984-06-25

Total Pages: 448

ISBN-13:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Recommends a manufacturing strategy that develops production facilities, uses appropriate management systems, and establishes firm relationships with suppliers.

Strategic Manufacturing for Competitive Advantage

Strategic Manufacturing for Competitive Advantage PDF

Author: Steve Brown

Publisher: Prentice Hall PTR

Published: 1996

Total Pages: 388

ISBN-13:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

This book concentrates on the strategic role and importance of production / operations, enabling the firm to be competitive in global markets. The first chapter, on strategic issues, provides an important framework for the rest of the book. Human resource management and new product development are given chapters of their own, and the chapter on manufacturing strategy provides an exhaustive discussion of key areas. Endorsements "There is no single text that I can think of which is as soundly written on the subject as this one. The perspective is clearly based on 20/20 vision, the toolkit is knowledgeably and freshly laid out and the supporting evidence described by a person obviously and freshly laid out and the supporting evidence described by a person obviously master of his subject." Dr Tom Mullen, Strathclyde Graduate Business School, University of Strathclyde "A timely book which is a step ahead of competing texts by demanding proper consideration be given to production and human resource operations in the top planners' inner sanctum. This text demonstrates how to achieve competitive and desired results. Strategy and tactics are rarely so thoroughly examined in a way to help the manager and employer alike to meet the new global challenge of the 21st century." Dr Manton C Gibbs, Professor of Strategic Studies, International Journal of Commerce and Management

It's About Time

It's About Time PDF

Author: Rajan Suri

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 2010-03-31

Total Pages: 232

ISBN-13: 1439805962

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

In the decade since the publication of Rajan Suri’s landmark book, Quick Response Manufacturing, the innovative principles of QRM have been proven with impressive results at many companies, big and small, in a variety of industries. While the key principles of QRM remain unchanged, after a decade of teaching QRM workshops to senior executives, Suri has developed a clear, concise, and accessible method of presenting QRM strategy using four core concepts: 1. The Power of Time – the huge impact time has on your entire enterprise 2. Organization Structure – how to structure your organization to reduce lead times 3. System Dynamics – understanding how interactions between jobs and resources impact time to make better decisions on capacity, lot sizes, and similar issues 4. Enterprise-Wide Application – QRM is not just a shop floor strategy, it extends across your whole enterprise including material planning and control, supply management, office operations, and new product introduction Presenting new case studies on QRM implementation, It's About Time: The Competitive Advantage of Quick Response Manufacturing illustrates how QRM can not only reduce lead times but also improve quality, reduce operating costs, and enable companies to gain substantial market share. This practical reference explains how factories in advanced nations can use QRM strategy to compete with manufacturers in low-wage countries. In addition, it provides helpful pointers for QRM implementation, including accounting strategies, novel cost-justification approaches, and a stepwise process for implementation. Also included are downloadable resources with five appendices that provide a number of practical details to assist in the success of your QRM implementation. When you are ready to start implementing QRM, you will find that these appendices contain time-saving tips to help you work through implementation issues¿including simple calculation methods and tools to support the design of your QRM strategy. You can also access these Appendices on the Downloads and updates tab on https://www.crcpress.com/9781439805961. The author, Rajan Suri, recently became one of only 10 people to be inducted into Industry Week's 2010 Manufacturing Hall of Fame.

Competitive Manufacturing

Competitive Manufacturing PDF

Author: Stuart A. Rosenfeld

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2017-07-12

Total Pages: 418

ISBN-13: 1351527134

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Stuart A. Rosenfeld presents a timely analysis of the problems the United States and other industrialized countries face as they adjust from economies based on natural resources and goods to economies based on quality of human resources and high-performance, market-oriented organizations. Some of the questions raised include: Will American industry successfully face the competitive challenge of the global economy? Can US manufacturing raise productivity and innovate enough to remain healthy? Have the latest advances in process technology and management practice penetrated the rural industrial base? How can public policy help improve the competitiveness of the crucial manufacturing sector? This book challenges the conventional wisdom in economic development policy. Past state and local industrial policy focused on locational decisions, not on issues of competitiveness. Building the competitive advantage of industry is more important than promoting the competitive advantages of location. Incentives to modernize are more important than subsidies to locate. Competitive Manufacturing uses the rural South, the most industrialized rural region of the nation, to examine the strengths and weaknesses of manufacturing as the basis for economic growth. Using historical analysis, surveys, and intensive case studies, the author analyzes the technological capabilities of rural manufacturing, the factors that influence the decision to modernize, and the effects of technology on education and work. Comparative studies in Denmark and Italy point to new directions for US economic development policy.

Manufacturing Strategy

Manufacturing Strategy PDF

Author: John Miltenburg

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 2005-03-09

Total Pages: 462

ISBN-13: 9781563273179

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

To stay competitive and meet market expectations in a global economy, both domestic and foreign companies must realign their manufacturing processes, make improvements, and increase their manufacturing capabilities. With large numbers of employees working in a network of domestic and foreign facilities, production processes are as varied as the products being produced. Manufacturing managers need a manufacturing plan or strategy that will bring structure to this complex environment. In Manufacturing Strategy: How to Formulate and Implement a Winning Plan, 2nd Edition, John Miltenburg offers a sensible and systematic method to: (1) evaluate domestic and foreign factories and international manufacturing and (2) plan the appropriate manufacturing strategy to be first in the market. Incorporating comments and suggestions from managers who used the first edition of Manufacturing Strategy, John Miltenburg expands and improves on his focus in the areas of: International Manufacturing — where the focus is on a company's international network of factories; Competitive Strategy — where managers must understand the role manufacturing strategy plays in their company's business strategy; and Manufacturing Programs — showing how programs such as quality management, six sigma, agile manufacturing, and supply chain management fit within the manufacturing strategy. Manufacturing Strategy gives managers a common language for dealing with manufacturing problems at both strategic and operational levels. It improves communication between manufacturing managers and those outside manufacturing (who will now have a better understanding of what manufacturing can and cannot do).

Competitive Advantage

Competitive Advantage PDF

Author: Michael E. Porter

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2008-06-30

Total Pages: 592

ISBN-13: 1416595848

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Now beyond its eleventh printing and translated into twelve languages, Michael Porter’s The Competitive Advantage of Nations has changed completely our conception of how prosperity is created and sustained in the modern global economy. Porter’s groundbreaking study of international competitiveness has shaped national policy in countries around the world. It has also transformed thinking and action in states, cities, companies, and even entire regions such as Central America. Based on research in ten leading trading nations, The Competitive Advantage of Nations offers the first theory of competitiveness based on the causes of the productivity with which companies compete. Porter shows how traditional comparative advantages such as natural resources and pools of labor have been superseded as sources of prosperity, and how broad macroeconomic accounts of competitiveness are insufficient. The book introduces Porter’s “diamond,” a whole new way to understand the competitive position of a nation (or other locations) in global competition that is now an integral part of international business thinking. Porter's concept of “clusters,” or groups of interconnected firms, suppliers, related industries, and institutions that arise in particular locations, has become a new way for companies and governments to think about economies, assess the competitive advantage of locations, and set public policy. Even before publication of the book, Porter’s theory had guided national reassessments in New Zealand and elsewhere. His ideas and personal involvement have shaped strategy in countries as diverse as the Netherlands, Portugal, Taiwan, Costa Rica, and India, and regions such as Massachusetts, California, and the Basque country. Hundreds of cluster initiatives have flourished throughout the world. In an era of intensifying global competition, this pathbreaking book on the new wealth of nations has become the standard by which all future work must be measured.

Strategic Manufacturing Management

Strategic Manufacturing Management PDF

Author: Thomas J. Sowell

Publisher: Xlibris Corporation

Published: 2006-02-28

Total Pages:

ISBN-13: 9781469117881

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

The economic interdependence amongdeveloping and established industrializednations, and the disintegration of barriersto the flow of capital, information andtechnology across national borders facilitatesinternational market integration andglobalization. These market conditionsforce manufacturing companies to seriouslyconsider the strategies they need to implementif they are to develop competitive advantages. Very often the strategies that are executedwill result in a sustained competitiveadvantage through which a firm becomesleaner, more flexible, and more focused onproviding cost-effective goods and services tosophisticated customers. This book providesmanufacturing business strategies to assistcompanies to meet those requirements.

Lean Production for Competitive Advantage

Lean Production for Competitive Advantage PDF

Author: John Nicholas

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 2011-06-23

Total Pages: 527

ISBN-13: 1439894167

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

The Lean concepts and principles described in this book have revolutionized manufacturing practice and business conduct in a manner similar to what Henry Ford’s system did for mass manufacturing. Lean production however, involves much more than the adoption of methods and procedures, it requires a change in management philosophy that emphasizes relationship building, trust, and responsibility being conferred to frontline workers and suppliers. Based on three decades of teaching experience, Lean Production for a Competitive Advantage: A Comprehensive Guide to Lean Methodologies and Management Practices introduces the Lean philosophy and illustrates the effective application of Lean tools with real-world case studies. From fundamental concepts to integrated planning and control in pull production and the supply chain, the text provides a complete introduction to Lean production. Coverage includes small batch production, setup reduction, pull production, preventive maintenance, standard operations, as well as synchronizing and scheduling lean operations. Detailing the key principles and practices of Lean production, the text also: Illustrates effective implementation techniques with case studies from a range of industries Includes questions and completed problems in each chapter Explains how to effectively partner with suppliers and employees to accomplish productivity goals Designed for students who have a basic foundation in production and operations management, the text provides a thorough understanding of the fundamental principles of Lean. It also offers practical know-how for implementing a culture of continuous improvement on the shop floor or in the office, creating a heightened sense of responsibility and pride in all stakeholders involved, and enhancing productivity and efficiency to improve the bottom line. Instructor’s material available – please contact: [email protected] or call 1-800-634-7064 to request these materials.

Improving Engineering Design

Improving Engineering Design PDF

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 1991-02-01

Total Pages: 120

ISBN-13: 0309044782

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Effective design and manufacturing, both of which are necessary to produce high-quality products, are closely related. However, effective design is a prerequisite for effective manufacturing. This new book explores the status of engineering design practice, education, and research in the United States and recommends ways to improve design to increase U.S. industry's competitiveness in world markets.