Learning to Change : Opportunities to Improve the Performance of Smaller Manufacturers.

LEARNING TO CHANGE -- Copyright -- Preface -- STUDY METHODOLOGY -- REPORT STRUCTURE -- Contents -- Executive Summary -- PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES FOR SMALLER MANUFACTURING COMPANIES -- Barrier 1: Disproportionate Impact of Regulation -- Barrier 2: Lack of Awareness -- Barrier 3: Isolation -- Barrier 4: Where to Seek Advice -- Barrier 5: Scarcity of Capital -- SOURCES OF ASSISTANCE -- EFFECTIVENESS OF MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY CENTERS -- CONCLUSIONS -- Majority Opinion -- Minority Opinion -- RECOMMENDATIONS -- SUMMARY -- 1 Introduction -- SIZE DISTRIBUTION OF U.S. MANUFACTURERS -- GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF MANUFACTURING -- DIVERSITY OF SMALLER MANUFACTURERS -- Product or Market Sector -- Modernization -- Company Maturity and Goals -- Worker Demographics -- Geographic Characteristics (Urban versus Rural) -- GLOBAL COMPETITION: CHALLENGES CONFRONTING AMERICAN MANUFACTURERS -- RESPONDING TO THE CHALLENGES -- A ROLE FOR INDUSTRIAL ASSISTANCE EFFORTS -- 2 Improving Manufacturing Performance in Smaller Firms -- BARRIER 1: DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT OF REGULATION -- The Barrier -- Opportunities for Resolution or Improvement -- BARRIER 2: LACK OF AWARENESS -- The Barrier -- Opportunities for Resolution or Improvement -- BARRIER 3: ISOLATION -- The Barrier -- Opportunities for Resolution or Improvement -- BARRIER 4: WHERE TO SEEK ADVICE -- The Barrier -- Opportunities for Resolution or Improvement -- BARRIER 5: SCARCITY OF CAPITAL -- The Barrier -- Opportunities for Resolution or Improvement -- IMPLICATIONS FOR MANUFACTURING ASSISTANCE -- 3 Improving Manufacturing: Sources of Assistance for Smaller Companies -- PRIVATE SECTOR ASSISTANCE -- Consultants -- Vendors and Suppliers of Technology -- Supplier Chains -- Professional and Trade Associations -- Books and Periodicals -- PUBLIC SECTOR ASSISTANCE -- State and Local Initiatives -- Universities.

Technical Schools, Community Colleges, Apprenticeship Programs -- Federal Programs -- Federal Laboratories -- Department of Defense -- Department of Commerce -- National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) -- Shared Manufacturing Facilities/Teaching Factories -- OTHER MODELS FOR COORDINATED MANUFACTURING ASSISTANCE -- Cooperative Extension Service -- Japanese Kohsetsushi Centers -- 4 Effectiveness of Manufacturing Technology Centers -- OBSERVATIONS REGARDING THE MTCS -- CONCLUSIONS -- 5 Conclusions and Recommendations -- RECOMMENDATIONS -- CONCLUSIONS -- 6 Minority Opinion -- APPENDIXES -- A Manufacturing Establishments by Size and State -- B Selected State and Local Programs -- QUALITY MANAGEMENT CONSORTIA (QMC) -- GEORGIA TECH INDUSTRIAL EXTENSION SERVICE -- PENNSYLVANIA TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (PENNTAP) -- C Federal Register Notice and Procedure for MTC Selection -- References -- Bibliography.

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Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, Michigan : ProQuest Ebook Central, 2024. Available via World Wide Web. Access may be limited to ProQuest Ebook Central affiliated libraries.