Supply chain managers in a growing number of companies are using optimization models to support factbased decision-making. Such models assist them in making better decisions about sourcing, manufacturing, transportation, warehousing, customer service, and inventory management across the geographically dispersed facilities and markets of their companies' supply chains. Imbedded in easy-to-use sy...

This paper presents news problems linked to the increasing use of virtual spaces in the building of new types of manufacturing what is currently called Virtual Manufacturing (VM). VM has many consequences in the activity of industrial companies whatever be size, economic sector or geographical area. Particular attention is paid on virtual spaces, manufacturing and collaboration, skills matrix a...

In this paper we characterize the extent of economic integration between Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan (HKMT). We do not find, for the period of 1999 – 2003, consistent evidence that economic activity on the part of HKMT-funded companies contributed to productivity growth in Guangdong domestic manufacturing firms. Furthermore, HKMT-funded companies were less active than Guangdong dome...

Financial risk is an objective phenomenon in economic activities. It has received extensive attention in theoretical and practical fields. For each company and operators in the market economy, the financial risk is an objective existence. The manufacturing industry as a pillar industry of China’s economic development, occupies a large proportion in China’s listed company. However because of the...

Servitization, i.e. the transition from manufacturing products to providing combinations of products and services, is expected to have many financial and strategic benefits for manufacturing firms. However, making this shift from product towards services can be very difficult; and manufacturing companies? investment in service business may not always result in corresponding higher performance. ...

Foundries and the Dawn of an Open IP Era T oday’s IC industry continues down a path of dis-integration it has followed for more than a decade—shifting from a vertical structure to a horizontal one, with many specialized and focused segments comprising the industry value chain. This dis-integration facilitates the growth of system-on-chip (SOC) technology and enhances operational efficiency by s...

The research study involved exploring how Peruvian companies use TQM practices and the differences in this use considering industrial sector and company size. Three hundred and sixty-three MBA students, middle managers of private companies operating in Arequipa, Cajamarca, Chiclayo, Cusco, Lima, Piura, or Trujillo, answered a questionnaire, developed by the author, about the use of TQM practice...

Manufacturing companies in the 21st Century will face unpredictable, high-frequency market changes driven by global competition. To stay competitive, these companies must possess new types of manufacturing systems that are cost-effective and very responsive to all these market changes. Reconfigurability, an engineering technology that deals with cost-effective, quick reaction to market changes,...

In general companies continuously have to improve their operations to be able to survive in the global competition. They have to be better in utilizing their resources today compared to what they were yesterday. The production systems have changed during the 20 century and factories today do not look like they did hundred years ago. Focus has moved from mass production towards flexibility. The ...

This research is a study on the objectives of mergers and acquisitions, as to why organizations undertake the inorganic mode of expansion. This particular research is conducted to get the effect of mergers upon financial performance regarding acquiring firms in a variety of manufacturing industries of Pakistan. Sample of this research consists of twelve manufacturing companies involved in the p...