The impact of lean manufacturing on sourcing relationships
Automotive Industry
Regional Economy
Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth
Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics
During the last decade, U.S.
manufacturing has experienced
various changes in its
cyclical and structural envivronment. Among them are the
severe back-to-back recessions of the early
1980s and the widespread restructuring efforts
undertaken in its wake, as well as increased
foreign competition, great exchange rate volatility,
and most recently, the build-down in the
defense sector. In addition, the very core of
manufacturing has been changed by the introduction
of a new paradigm, the so-called lean
manufacturing system. It deserves special
attention because of its potential long-term
effects.
