ABSTRACT
There are at least five forms of collaborative strategies currently being applied to support manufacturing companies. Collaborative manufacturing is not new but is getting greater attention as a corporate strategic initiative because the supporting information technology is firmly in place and examples of collaborative success are extensive in product design management, supply chain production management, and product distribution. Informal collaborative alliances have been around a long time as some companies have intentionally built closer relationships with their suppliers and customers as a normal part of supply chain management. Collaborative manufacturing is simply an extension of that process with some new possibilities that have come available only recently due to technological advances and evolving market forces.
