ENTERPRISE-WIDE NETWORKING FOR MANUFACTURING

Leading-edge corporations are striving to weave their entire organizat ions - as well as the pieces of their supply chains - into resilient a nd responsive fabrics for capturing customers. Strategic planners who are concerned with manufacturing competitiveness in the late 1990s adv ocate the implementation of systems that fabricate very high quality p roducts and provide ultrarapid delivery while maintaining the lowest c ost. Publications from United States and Europe point to the need for improving flexibility and concurrence in all facets of the production process. To remain competitive in today's economy, organizations need to link engineering, production, and management into one computerized information system. All the elements are slowly coming together: hardw are, software, communications, costs, and most of all, attitudes. Besi des information tracking, an integrated network will enable staff to c ommunicate more effectively and thereby improve the overall productivi ty of the company. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.