Developing A Make Or Buy Strategy For Manufacturing Business

Based on original research and case experience, this book presents a structured approach to making the important decisions for developing a make or buy strategy for manufacturing business.

To stay competitive and meet market expectations in a global economy, both domestic and foreign companies must realign their manufacturing processes, make improvements, and increase their manufacturing capabilities. With large numbers of employees working in a network of domestic and foreign facilities, production processes are as varied as the products being produced. Manufacturing managers need a manufacturing plan or strategy that will bring structure to this complex environment. In Manufacturing Strategy: How to Formulate and Implement a Winning Plan, 2nd Edition, John Miltenburg offers a sensible and systematic method to: (1) evaluate domestic and foreign factories and international manufacturing and (2) plan the appropriate manufacturing strategy to be first in the market. Incorporating comments and suggestions from managers who used the first edition of Manufacturing Strategy, John Miltenburg expands and improves on his focus in the areas of: International Manufacturing — where the focus is on a company's international network of factories; Competitive Strategy — where managers must understand the role manufacturing strategy plays in their company's business strategy; and Manufacturing Programs — showing how programs such as quality management, six sigma, agile manufacturing, and supply chain management fit within the manufacturing strategy. Manufacturing Strategy gives managers a common language for dealing with manufacturing problems at both strategic and operational levels. It improves communication between manufacturing managers and those outside manufacturing (who will now have a better understanding of what manufacturing can and cannot do).

In many industrial companies, strategic developments are predominantly based on corporate marketing decisions with manufacturing being forced to react to these at the back end of the process. In Manufacturing Strategy, Terry Hill sets out to show how decisions over manufacturing should form part of the strategic direction of the company as a whole. Based on the first edition, the book has been updated with new material and new case studies including the service elements of manufacturing that reflect the author's ongoing programme of consultancy and research in this field.

This guide will walk you step by step through all the essential phases of starting a successful manufacturing based business. To profit in a new manufacturing business, you need to consider the following questions: What business am I in? What products do I provide? Where is my market? Who will buy? Who is my competition? What is my sales strategy? What merchandising methods will I use? How much money is needed to operate my firm? How will I get the work done? What management controls are needed? How can they be carried out? And many more. This guide will help you answer all these questions and more. Here's what's in the book: Things to consider before you start - crucial things you must consider before you start pouring in your hard earned money. Ignore it at your own peril. How to plan and start your new manufacturing business - complete, step by step instructions, this is must-know must-do information; ignore it and you stand a good chance to fail. You get specifically designed instructions for each phase. How to develop winning marketing strategies for your manufacturing business How to plan and execute a results driven advertising program - tips and strategies to make your advertising pay off big. How to find new customers - new customers and more sales are essential for profit and growth. Here's a little known yet extremely effective ten-step formula to locate and find new customers. How to set the right prices - pricing secrets to help you make money and still be competitive. You get specifically designed instructions for a manufacturing based business. How to fix production mistakes. How to set up a quality control system. The lease or buy decision - a revealing look at the pros and cons of leasing vs. buying and which option is right for you. All these and much much more. Get These 5 Valuable Free Gifts (a limited time offer) Place your order by the end of this month and I will also include instant download instructions for the following free gifts: Free Gift #1: Business Financial Planner This is a multi featured, fully operational Excel based software program. It is a financial management program that will help you prepare budgets, cash flow projections, projected income statements, plan and analyze your start up expenses and sales and much more. Free Gift #2: A Simple Business Plan Template In MS Word Format Allows you to craft a good basic business plan quickly and easily. Free Gift #3: How to Improve Your Leadership and Management Skills (eBook) How to lead and manage people; powerful tips and strategies to motivate and inspire your people to bring out the best in them. Be the boss people want to give 200 percent for. Free Gift #4: Video Training Course - How To Gain A Competitive Advantage Learn how to get a competitive advantage with this course. Learn how to brand, study your competition, identify customers and their preferences, create pricing strategies and much more. Leverage the uniqueness of your business to create a real competitive advantage. Free Gift #5: Video Training Course - How To Grow Your Business You have started your business and now you think you are ready to grow. How do you really know if you and your company are ready for the next step? This course will help you determine if a growth opportunity is right for you.

Enterprise Networks and Logistics for Agile Manufacturing presents a focused collection of quality chapters on state-of-the-art research efforts in the areas of enterprise networks and logistics, as well as their practical applications towards agile manufacturing. With the increasing decentralisation of manufacturing systems and outsourcing of processes, more robust and practical approaches and systems are needed to support agile manufacturing operations. Enterprise Networks and Logistics for Agile Manufacturing consists of two major sections: the first presents a broad-based review of the key areas of research in enterprise networks and logistics; the second focuses on an in-depth treatment of a particular methodology or system relevant to the book title. Examples include: • sustainable green supply chain; • value creation and supplier selection; • extended enterprise network management; • reverse logistics; and • innovative supply chain systems. The authors take into account the need to pose intellectual challenges while retaining a balanced approach in terms of scope versus depth and theory versus applications. Enterprise Networks and Logistics for Agile Manufacturing can be beneficial to academic researchers, practicing engineers and managers, and graduate students with an interest in any manufacturing sectors. It can enable them to better understand the present state and future trends of research in this important area, in order to position themselves strategically for future challenges as we enter the era of agile and distributed manufacturing.

This e-book is based on papers presented at the conference on "Managing Innovative Manufacturing". Organised by the Center for Industrial Production, the conference took place on 22-23 September 2003 at Aalborg University, Denmark. Why a conference on managing innovative manufacturing? The main ones, from a Western perspective, are globalisation, hypercompetition and an increasingly important role of what are currently low cost countries.

Europe is waking up to the challenge of technology and innovation. We see EU commitment to spend 3% of GDP on R&D, but who is thinking about how to spend? Who is thinking about technology management? Does the corporate board have the means to manage this spend? Should some percentage of the R&D be spent on improving technology and innovation management? This is where this book makes a contribution. It brings together the latest practice, research findings and thinking, presented in a way that addresses top management requirements. The goal is to secure the economic future of the firm, in the context of a sustainable industry and society. Using the ideas and methods in this book, the board can assess and improve its own ability to deal with the challenge of technology and innovation.