This comprehensive book presents a methodology for continuous process improvement in a structured, logical, and easily understandable framework based on industry accepted tools, techniques, and practices. It begins by explaining the conditions necessary for establishing a stable and capable process and the actions required to maintain process control, while setting the stage for sustainable efficiency improvements driven by waste elimination and process flow enhancement. This structured approach makes a clear connection between the need for a quality process to serve as the foundation for incremental efficiency improvements. This book moves beyond talking about the value contribution of tools and techniques for process control and continuous improvement by focusing on the daily work routines necessary to maintain and sustain these activities as part of a lean process and management mindset. Part 1 discusses process quality improvement with an understanding of variation and its impact on process performance. It continues by stressing the importance of standardizing a process to achieve process stability. Once process stability is reflected in a consistent and predictable output, attention is turned to ensuring the process is capable of consistently meeting customer requirements. This series of activities sets the foundation for process control and the sustainable pursuit of efficiency improvements. Part 2 focuses on efficiency improvement by eliminating waste while improving process flow using proven tools and methods. Although there is a clear relationship between waste elimination and process flow, these activities are discussed separately to allow those more interested in waste elimination to work independently from those looking to optimize value stream flow. Part 3 explores the principles, practices, systems, and behaviors required to maintain process control while creating a mindset of continuous incremental improvement. It considers the role organizational structure, discipline, and accountability play as essential components for long term operational success. This book will: Provide readers with a clear roadmap for establishing, achieving, and maintaining process control as the foundation upon which to pursue efficiency improvements. Establish direction and methods for continuous and sustainable process improvement Define the practices, systems, and behaviors required to realize desired results and develop a culture of process control and continuous improvement along the road to operational excellence.

History is replete with examples of one political system replacing another, one scientific discovery invalidating another - and this cycle has occurred repeatedly in the production of goods and products for society. This book, first published in 1998, examines the massive transition currently taking place: the decline of the system of mass manufacturing. Various global changes in American business and manufacturing have forced a review of accepted thinking, and this book is a key text in this evaluation.

This work presents the fundamental principles of continuous flow manufacturing, furnishing a corporate strategy and set of operating rules that help create an environment where continuous flow manufacturing can flourish. A 10-step methodology for converting a traditional factory to a continuous flow operation is provided, and conventional manufacturing techniques are compared with the continuous flow approach.

First published in 1957, this book is a detailed analysis on Christian Democracy, a movement backed by Protestants as well as Catholics, which has become one of the great social forces of Western Europe. It is strong in eight countries. The first half of Fogarty's book sets out what the many Christian-Democratic movements stand for. The second part of the book shows how these movements began, how they have grown, changed, and consolidated, and how they developed into the mid-20th century. This is a broad and useful survey which delves the history, nature and significance of the Christian Democratic movements in Europe. In Fogarty's analysis, Christian Democracy may indeed bring about a renewed unity of the Christian tradition in Western society.

This title was first published in 2003. Bringing together contemporary innovation pattern theories inspired by the two original patterns developed by Joseph A. Schumpeter, this book develops an innovative new model of long wave aggregate level economic activity. This model is rigorously tested with post-war US manufacturing data, revealing an intriguing correlation between the data and the model. The book examines different theories of technological change, and provides a detailed account of the long wave which makes use of the relevant aspects of these theories, without betraying their main features and messages. These theories are synthesized and shown to be consistent with the development of post-war US manufacturing. Shedding light on the dynamics of the technological advances that have taken place in the last 20 years, economists and students alike will find this volume an invaluable read.

This work provides a history of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. Topics covered include: the union's influence on political legislation and global economy; the story of the East European immigrants at the turn of the 20th century; and the union's spirit of social reform.

Originally published in 1991, Financial Market Liberalization in Chile, 1973-1982, analyses the liberalization of the financial market which took place during the 1973-1982 monetarist experiment. The book addresses the effect this had on the Chilean economy and how this affected effects of the behaviour of the firms which went bankrupt during this period. The book also presents a description of the policies implemented in the Chilean economy during this period and examines the impact that this had on the performance of the financial sector.

This title was first published in 2000: Steven Nivin analyzes a process vital to economic development - technological change. He furthers understanding of the processes driving innovation, so that we may gain a deeper insight into the development of economies. Specifically, the study explores the concept of innovation potential and the factors that result in variations in innovation potential across metropolitan areas, using the US machine tool industry as a case study. To provide a comparison, the same models are also estimated for the semiconductor industry. The findings indicate that urbanisation economies, localization economies, human capital, universities, and invention-derived knowledge are significant factors. The study assesses the contributions of three different skill levels of human capital; college-educated, graduate degree, and locally produced PhD's in mechanical and electrical engineering. Only the graduate and PhD degree measures are found to be significant, indicating the importance of having a highly skilled pool of labour within the region. The influences of the factors appear to be similar across industries, with some slight differences. The transfer of knowledge through patents is also studied. It is found that the transmission of this knowledge is slower between different industries, relative to the transmission within the same industry.

This work provides a history of the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. Topics covered include: the union's influence on political legislation and global economy; the story of the East European immigrants at the turn of the 20th century; and the union's spirit of social reform.

First published in 1990, this book provides an overview of the global distribution of the electronics industry and the structural factors which promoted this distribution by the end of the 1980s. Regarded as a 'flagship' sector in both advanced and developing countries, the electronics industry is encouraged by governments everywhere. Covering both the civilian and the military sides of the industry, Professor Todd reflects on the future of civilian electronics in the light of its global segmentation, and hints at the fundamental role of governments in the unfolding of both civilian and defence-electronics developments. He also endorses the overwhelming significance of strategies being played by electronics enterprises in both the USA and Japan.

This new edition provides an alternative overview of 18th-century British economy. Recent macroeconomic history has discounted many of the achievements of the Industrial Revolution, but this text dissects the characteristics and processes of industry in the 18th century. A male industrial revolution has been presented as the general experience, but new industries, notably in textiles and metal products, were primarily employers of women. This work gives these industries and their workforce due prominence. Technologies, work processes, labour forces and markets shifted in a variety of directions and forms to create a sector of dynamic new initiatives alongside stable and declining crafts. The key to the Industrial Revolution lies in the sources of technological creativity and the structures of industrial communities. The rise of the factory system was one result. This text reasserts the primacy of the industrial experience to Britain's economic history.

The late A.H. Shorter is widely acknowledged for his pioneering work on the history of the British paper-making industry, and his books continue to provide the basis for further research. The present volume brings together all his many articles, hitherto scattered across a variety of specialist publications and often virtually inaccessible. In these studies Dr Shorter tackled the subject with a broader scope than was possible in his books; in particular, they cover the period after 1800, tracing the changing geographical pattern of the industry. They also contain a wealth of detailed information on papermaking across Britain, notably in the counties of southwest England, that is impossible to find elsewhere, and is now made accessible through the comprehensive indexes to the volume. Le regrette A. H. Shorter est largement reconnu pour ses travaux originaux sur l'histoire de l'industrie papetiere britannique et ses ouvrages continuent d'Atre A la base de toutes recherches supplementaires. Le present volume rassemble la totalite de ses nombreux articles, jusqu'A present disperses sur tout un eventail de publications specialisees et bien trop souvent inaccessibles. Au travers de ces etudes, l'auteur s'attaque au sujet sur un rayon plus large que cela n'avait ete possible dans ses livres; couvrant en particulier la periode apres 1800 et traAant la structure geographique de l'industrie. Le recueil contient aussi abondance d'informations detaillees sur la fabrication du papier partout en Grande-Bretagne, notamment dans les contes du sud-ouest de l'Angleterre, et qu'il est impossible de trouver ailleurs.

Japanese manufacturing investment in the European Community has grown dramatically over the last twenty years. At first, instances of investment were few, concentrated in a small number of industrial sectors. But since the mid-1980's there has been a surge of investment in a much wider range of industries.
This volume details the growth of Japanese manufacturing investment in Europe in fourteen industrial sectors. The impact of Japanese competition and direct investment on European industries is considered in the context of the emergence of the three major trading blocs: the United States, Japan and the EC. Roger Strange concludes by making important policy recommendations, and arguing for the need for a new theoretical framework for assessing the political economy of foreign direct investment.

Originally published in 1992, Capital Mobilization and Regional Financial Markets, argues that barriers to financial flows within regions may be as important in affecting capital flows as interregional barriers. The book conjectures that regional markets allow efficient mobilization of local funds and develops an analytical framework to motivate an investigation of region financial development in the Pacific Coast states between 1850 and 1920.

This book, first published in 1983, offers a new explanation for the poor performance of British manufacturing since 1950. Rather than invoke orthodox economic theory or general social factors, the book analyses four national conditions - enterprise control over the labour process; market structure and the composition of demand; the relation of manufacturing enterprise to financial institutions like banks and stock exchanges; and the relation of manufacturing enterprise to government.

First published in 1991, this book offers a thorough examination of the decline of heavy industry in industrialised countries in the West, which focuses on problems in the shipbuilding industry. Todd argues that three points are central to its demise: industrial life cycles, the international division of labour and the energy crises of 1973. His work begins with despondency in western shipbuilding, going back as early as 1956, when Japan usurped Britain as the pre-eminent ship producer. The book goes on to explore international trade and industry in the second half of the 20th century, with analysis on industrial reorganisation and East Asian conglomerates, diversification with the marine industries, and shipbuilding in Brazil, India, and China.

In the past, company success was typically measured by financial indicators. Lately though, non-financial measures such as employee morale have become popular. Although there are approaches that look into quantitative and qualitative performance measures affecting company success, none of them characterize it in a holistic way, combining all the critical performance measures. This book presents a multifaceted approach that prepares engineers and future organizational leaders/managers to measure, monitor, and predict company success in a more meaningful way.

In order to ensure environmentally responsible production and disposal of products, local governments are imposing stricter environmental regulations, some of which even require manufacturers to take back their products at the end of the product's useful life. These government regulations, together with increasing environmental awareness, have forced manufacturers to invest in environment-conscious manufacturing. The multiple Criteria Decision Making Techniques presented in this book can be employed to solve the problems of environment-conscious manufacturers in product design, logistics, disassembly and remanufacturing.

Once recognised as a high-performing newly industrialising Asian economy with the potential for economic and developmental success similar to South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore, Thailand's growth rate and competitive edge have declined substantially. With slower adoption and movement towards the knowledge-intensive industries, the loss of the competitive edge is a cause of growing concern among Thai policymakers, with Thailand succumbing to the middle-income trap. This book analyses Thailand's declining competitiveness in the past 50 years, considering both the national and sectoral roles and capabilities of key players, including the government, universities and research institutes, as well as the electronics, food, and automotive industries. Including comparative analyses with other Asian nations, this book is a must-read for both students and practitioners with interests in development economics, industrial economics and public policy.

This study of working conditions in shoemaking in the informal sector in Indonesia and the Philippines, along with their gender dimensions and national and international policy implications, is based on the author's experience in both countries during 2002, with applied qualitative research techniques: in-depth interviews and worksite visits. Intended audience: Occupational and environmental health policymakers, practitioners, and researchers; work environment specialists at international organizations; chemical safety specialists; footwear industry representatives; trade unions representing footwear employees.

By concentrating on one of the key locations of global manufacturing, this volume offers a contribution to contemporary industry studies. The rates of growth that have characterized the southern Guangdong province in the last three decades are unique, even with respect to the more general and often cited Chinese experience. But what role have governments played in these decades of growth? What are the aims and tools of industrial policies promoted in this core location of contemporary manufacturing? And what are the implications of the Guangdong experience of growth for the international debate on contemporary industry? Referencing the international debate on industrial development, specialized Chinese academic literature, official government documents, statistics and in-depth fieldwork this book offers unique view on the complex set of long-term national and local government plans and policies that have gone hand in hand with the last three decades of impressive change in this highly industrialized region. In this framework, local industrial development policy, innovation policy and migration policy are carefully analyzed as three of the main strategic interventions selected by government authorities to promote the desired gradual structural change and technological upgrading in industry. This book will be of interest to students and scholars of Chinese studies, economics and business, development policy and industrial policy. Furthermore, the volume presents stimulating material for both policy makers and entrepreneurs.

China's expansion and growing influence in Africa is arguably the most remarkable global political and economic development in the 21st century. China's foray into Africa started in the late 1990s, propelled by its desire to obtain new sources of raw materials and energy for its economic growth, as well as new markets for its manufactured goods. While China's "no political strings attached" policy proves attractive to many of African leaders, China has been criticized as neo-colonialist, interested solely in stripping Africa of its mineral wealth without proper environmental or social precautions. This book addresses the controversy by exploring the motivations and practices of China's African engagement, providing a comprehensive account of the intensified interactions between China and African states. The first part examines the debate surrounding whether China has pursued a neo-colonialist path in Africa, by looking at the perception of China by the locals and the challenges that the intensified relationship has posed for African states. The second part analyses China's strategic motivations to see if Beijing has acquired sustaining power and influence in Africa in competition with the West. The third part focuses on economic and business practices of Chinese companies in Africa, as well as China-Africa trade patterns. The articles in this book were originally published in special issues of the Journal of Contemporary China.

The 1898 suppression of white phosphorous in the French match industry was a victory of organized labour. At a time when most French workers did not have the power to effect changes in the health and safety conditions of their work, the match workers succeeded. At a time when most French women were not unionised and did not pursue effective action on occupational health problems, French women in the match industry succeeded. This book, first published in 1989, examines their actions and provides the definitive account of their success.

The inspection process is one of the most important steps in manufacturing industries because it safeguards high quality products and customer satisfaction. Manual inspection may not provide the desired accuracy. This book introduces and implements a new methodology and develops the supporting technologies for automated inspection planning based on Computer Aided Design (CAD) models. It also provides and implements an efficient link for automated operation based on Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM). The link's output is a DMIS code programming file based on the inspection planning table that is executed on CMM.

Small and medium enterprises (SME) have attracted increasing interest in the last few years, and industrialization is no longer seen as a linear way of development. This book analyzes how SME clusters emerge in a developing economy. Using India as a case study, it addresses one central question: If growth has largely failed to be inclusive so far, and if employing a work force in increasing returns activities through a different trajectory of industrialization is largely dependent upon industrial clusters of small and medium sized firms, then what are the structural infirmities and asymmetries that need to be taken into account in the context of framing policies related to industrial clusters? The book identifies the structural infirmities in industrial clusters in India, which could be typical to any of the developing countries and sharply in contrast to European success stories. Blending theory and empirical material, it provides a middle ground between the two extremes of a uniform policy assuming 'one size fits all', and a specific policy based on individual cases. The book redraws the broad contours where space and production processes mutually constitute each other, giving rise to outcomes somewhat generic to underdevelopment. It is of interest to academics working in the fields of economics, business administration/ management and development economics.