ABSTRACT
In order to meet the challenges of worldwide competitiveness, organizations must be able to provide products and services with equal or better value than their competitors. Moreover, there is a need to respond rapidly and effectively to changes in the marketplace. As product life cycles shorten, production systems must be able to effectively operate and switch between different types of products. Many organizations are moving toward greater flexibility in all stages of production in order to provide customers with greater product variety in less time. Creating a multifunctional workforce is one response to form a flexible organization to meet these market challenges.
