Why is it that some manufacturing firms perform better than others?Theres no doubt that manufacturing firms need to change in order to sustain corporate success and a competitive edge. Manufacturing the Future shows both why and how manufacturing firms need to move away from traditional, unsuccessful approaches to become enlightened, successful outfits.An essential read for all levels of management in manufacturing firms, this book offers a radically different, strategically oriented approach to manufacturing. A highly effective strategy for the future.Many manufacturing firms fail in their aspirations to becoming lean, flexible, and world class not because they are incompetent but because they miss out on key. These capabilities do not come about by chance but follow on from an enlightened approach to manufacturing.This enlightened approach includes employing senior level manufacturing staff who are involved in the business of the plant and are not just employed for their technical expertise. But in an age when manufacturing managers are inundated with three letter approaches to manufacturing best practice (JIR, TQM, MRP, etc.) These same managers have forgotten about the fundamental role that manufacturing plays in business strategy.Underpinned by extensive research, Manufacturing the Future:highlights and reconfirms the importance of manufacturing strategy as part of the overall business strategyshows firms how to radically reappraise the way they are organized, including the role of manufacturing personneldescribes the importance of the role of senior manufacturing personnel to the businessshows how to successfully apply manufacturing strategies, which feed into and form part of the overall success of the business strategyshows both why and how manufacturing firms need to move away from traditional, unsuccessful approaches to become an enlightened successful outfit. Contents Strategy Matters The Industries, the Plants and the Research Innovation Managing the Manufacturing ProcessQuality within the PlantsInventory and Buyer–Supplier RelationshipManaging Human ResourcesBecoming Enlightened – Creating and Sustaining Strategic ResonanceAbout the Authors Steve Brown heads the Operations Management Group at the School of Management, University of Bath, and is Visiting Professor at Baruch College of the City University, New York. He is the author of Strategic Manufacturing for Competitive Advantage, published by Prentice Hall, and Strategic Operations Management (with Richard Lamming, John Bessant and Peter Jones), published by Butterworth-Heinemann. He has also published numerous journal articles. After years of production management, Steve became an academic although he remains committed to industry and is often involved in management consultancy projects within organizations.