Global Manufacturing Practices: A Worldwide Survey of Practices in Production Planning and Control, Volume 3

This volume contains 32 research papers and a data base diskette compiling a worldwide survey of manufacturing practices. The papers provide insights into the differences in manufacturing practice that exist around the world. Through an understanding of manufacturing practice differences, cooperation can be improved considerably between researchers, companies, and nations. With the publication of this book, the data can now be made generally available, creating the opportunity for substantially increased involvement in the research. The papers have been included both for their content and to provide ideas for future research. As more people have become involved with the data, the quality and variety of questions, analytical techniques and insights have expanded. Much of that variety is included here. Similarly, approaches to using the data have improved as researchers have shared ideas, provided insights, and gained experience with the data base. Thus these papers not only provide examples of approaches to the data, but should stimulate new and better ways of using the data in the future. The papers in most of the sections have a clear research focus. The appendix has information on the data base diskette that is distributed with this book. The diskette also contains a utility program for viewing and modifying the data. A brief explanation of that program is also provided.