Let's Fix It!: Overcoming the Crisis in Manufacturing

The global economy has ushered in competition from all corners of the earth, and manufacturers haven't changed their ways to accommodate the new order, says Richard J. Schonberger in Let's Fix It!: Overcoming the Crisis in Manufacturing. Having conducted research on 500 companies, Schonberger (World Class Manufacturing) believes that the top manufacturers are resting on their laurels and will soon regret their neglect of the principles of lean production, i.e., getting rid of inventory. GE, GM, Mercedes and Toyota are just a few of the companies that come under his gimlet eye. He proposes a four-step solution involving new product development and acquisition, streamlining production, eliminating manufacturing wastes and, of course, looking at manufacturing possibilities overseas. Regardless of the market's state, companies will need to heed such thoughtful advice in the face of rapid-fire economic changes. ( Dec.)