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Integrating Manufacturing and Service Revenue Development

Manufacturing is often seen as selling a product but the competitive market indicates they must be more. As global competition increases, product innovation cycles become faster, and imitators copy products companies should seek to create beyond the product. Research by Ivanka Kastalli, Bart Van Looy and Andy Neely from the University of California Berkeley discussed how the concepts of service adoption and service coverage add value and competitiveness.   They analyzed a large international company with growing sales and significant revenue from manufacturing and service functions. Manufacturing is not simply the building of products but also the raising of value and public interest. A service mentality helps executives understand where their value lays and what customers need in both current and future products to continue sales. The market must continue to drive the options, design, and utility of products.   To create greater service oriented manufacturing paradigms req

Reaching New Customer Service Peaks in Manufacturing

Art Work: Dr. Murad Abel The world of manufacturing is changing and new methods of competing are important to ensure that companies are staying competitive. Companies can incorporate additional concepts related to service and service metrics into their manufacturing operations to help encourage higher levels performance that are more reflective of market needs. Research by Visnjic, et. al. (2013) helps decision makers find new ways of adopting higher service oriented operations. Just like Americans went through a shift in their manufacturing management toward Japanese models in the past they are now moving toward new customer service oriented values. They are seeking to tie their products more closely to the needs of the customer and this requires a new way of thinking. As the system changes, so will the measurements of success and the accounting of financial revenues. Metrics are important markers that help guide strategic decisions. The previous product-based performance

A Case Study on Regenerating a Local Economy

Dr. Rosabeth Moss Kanter builds off of her previous research of five American cities of Boston, Cleveland, Miami, Seattle, and Spartanburg-Greenville to find patterns to success economic rejuvenation. It is important for struggling cities to develop concepts, competence and connections. It is also necessary to encourage those who think in the region to work with those who make products and those who sell the products. As an example of success, she focuses in on Spartanburg-Greenville and how it became a world class area of manufacturing that attracted foreign investments from 215 companies in 18 countries. Without visionary leadership, friendly business environment, commitment to training, and collaboration between business and government the success story would have never generated. Her paper argues that success will come from matching the local needs to that of the global economy. Unfortunately, there is a level of divergence between locals who are aware of local issues and t

Regional Economic Development after a Global Lightning Strike

Globalization has swept through areas like a lightning bolt striking down anything that no longer competes internationally. Despite its destructive powers, there are also opportunities for generating economies anew.   Research by Bailey, et. al. (2010) explores how the mechanical sector of Prato Italy and the automotive sectors of West Midlands United Kingdom in Europe were able to use “place leadership” to understand the economic, social, institutional, and cultural aspects of places for upgrading and renovating to create new international competitive products.  Places of production are locations where people’s skills and corresponding firms develop a hub of economic activity. According to Bellandi (2006), they have the following criteria: 1.) The presence of industry that is embedded in the social fabric of people who have similar shared experiences within that industry.  2.) An industrial cluster that defines the economics of a location. 3.) Local producers wh