ABSTRACT
Global manufacturing is currently facing two major transformations. The first is the shortened life cycle of products due to the diversification and sophistication of customers’ needs. Because of this, manufacturers need to realize the shortest lead time possible in cooperation with their suppliers from the product development stage, through to manufacturing, and finally to sales, so that they are able to respond to this change. Second, it has been deemed essential to create a new administrative management technology necessary for the deployment of global production, worldwide uniform quality, and simultaneous production (production at optimal locations) and to manage this production in a systematic and organized manner (Amasaka, 2004a).
