The age of agile manufacturing

Examines the development of agile manufacturing and explores the key success factors: customer prosperity, people and information, co‐operation within and between firms, and fitting a company for change. Highlights the need for agile companies to adequately address their customers' fast‐changing and focused requirements, which requires staff that are very highly educated and trained, and significantly empowered within the constraints of a clear vision and delineated company principles and goals, and the ability to effect change rapidly, through highly flexible management structures, and comprehensive methods of introducing change.