USING PRODUCT PROFILING TO ILLUSTRATE MANUFACTURING-MARKETING MISALIGNMENT

As companies choose among process alternatives, they need a clear unde rstanding of the changing alignment between manufacturing and the need s of their markets. Assessing how well existing processes fit these ma rket requirements and making choices to meet future needs are critical strategic responsibilities for manufacturing. Product profiling can b e used to examine the degree of alignment between the needs of a compa ny's markets and the characteristics of its existing manufacturing pro cess and infrastructure investments. We compare product profiling with another tool, the product-process matrix, and examine the applicabili ty of both in a typical mismatch situation. Ln-depth analysis in one f irm indicates that product profiling is a valuable tool to uncover the origins of misalignments that occur over time and to illustrate the p henomenon to executives.