ADAPTING MANUFACTURING PROCESSES FOR INTERNATIONAL TRANSFER

Identifies factors influencing the adaptation of manufacturing process es for international transfer. Proposes that these factors should be d ivided into those affecting the operation of the process in its new lo cation, and those that influence the transfer itself. This differentia tion generates three constructs which characterize a manufacturing pro cess: appropriateness, robustness, and transferability. Individually, they inform practitioners on questions of process adaptation, location selection, training, and technology choice. Together they describe th e ease with which a manufacturing process can be transferred: its fitn ess for transfer.