Manufacturing strategies and next century enterprises. (29th October 2004)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hodgson, Allan; Li, Guihua; Weston, Richard H.
• Is Part Of: International journal of business performance management. Volume 1:Number 1(1999)
• Page Start: 90
• Page End: 109
• Publication Date: 2004-10-29
• Subjects: manufacturing strategy -- scenario planning -- factory of the future -- manufacturing industry; Industrial management -- Periodicals; 658.005
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1368-4892

Abstract

The findings of two different approaches to predicting the future of manufacturing industries are reviewed to identify general design guides for future companies. One of these approaches deployed a "scenario planning" technique to define an "envelope" within which we might expect all manufacturing enterprises to operate during the next decade. The second approach identified possible attributes of future manufacturing companies by placing present day enterprises within distinctive groupings and extrapolating their properties based on an analysis of current trends. The findings of the two approaches are contrasted and compared. This has led to the specification of design guides for manufacturing enterprises. The purpose here has been to enable manufacturing companies to position themselves relative to their competitors by using these guides. The guides also serve to illustrate aspects of contemporary manufacturing strategies and to highlight possible trends with respect to their development and future use.