Learning strategies and CI: lessons from several small to medium Australian manufacturers

Abstract

Australian manufacturers need to develop strategies that will enable them to compete in the Asia‐Pacific region. Australia is regarded as a high wage economy so can rarely compete solely on price. Once they are able to deliver a quality product at an acceptable price to remain competitive they must get the most out of their existing resources, particularly their workforce. CI is a widely recognised low cost strategic process for improving a manufacturing operation. This paper examines five small to medium manufacturers and uses a mapping tool that measures the extent of learning within the firms. If firms using CI are to fully benefit from the learning process then they must have a strategy in place that ensures knowledge is captured and the workforce is willing to transfer knowledge throughout the organisation.

Citation

Hyland, P., Mellor, R., Sloan, T. and O’Mara, E. (2000), "Learning strategies and CI: lessons from several small to medium Australian manufacturers", Integrated Manufacturing Systems, Vol. 11 No. 6, pp. 428-436. https://doi.org/10.1108/09576060010345914