Mention the term value chain, and most managers will have visions of a neat sequence of value-enhancing activities. In the simplest form of a value chain, raw materials are formed into components that are assembled into final products, distributed, sold and serviced. Frequently, these activities...

Contrary to what some say, 3D printing is not going to revolutionize the manufacturing sector, rendering traditional factories obsolete. The simple fact of the matter is the economics of 3D printing now and for the foreseeable future make it an unfeasible way to produce the vast majority of...

General introductory statements of research papers commenting on the “increasingly global business environment”, “ever more demanding customers”, and “rises in complexity” that businesses have to operate in have become the norm in management research. The perception of an increasing...

The automotive industry is undergoing a strategic transition. Cost pressure from rising stock levels in the market and increasing incentives needed to sell these vehicles are forcing vehicle manufacturers to rethink their prevalent “stock-push” approach, building vehicles against a forecast...

Empirical work on order fulfillment strategies suggests that building products to customer order is an important driver of organizational value. Similarly, the experimental literature indicates that customers derive value from customization. The modeling literature provides a more equivocal...

Outsourcing initiatives are key to firm efforts to focus on core competencies, alter engrained practices and attain significant cost reductions in non-core processes. Extensive thought goes into the selection of outsourcing service providers, with the aim of enlisting vendors that have the...

This is the Fifth Edition of what has become a standard bestselling text on the tools, systems, and principles of Lean Manufacturing and Lean Operations. The Lean Toolbox covers Lean Philosophy, The Science of Lean, Improvement, Change, Strategy, Flow, Mapping, Scheduling, Layout, Quality,...