The ultimate → competitive goal of the → Continuous Improvement Firm  is the ability to produce consumer goods on a custom basis for immediate delivery at costs lower than those featured by standard MP firms.

The key to achieving this → flexibility and lower costs lies in the generalization of the work force.  >>>

Issues

MP

CIF

Strategic advantage

Large volume of homogenous output

Production flexibility

Workforce

Narrow specialization

Multi-skilled

Output based on

Forecasted demand

Real demand

Productivity success factors

Quality of management; its ability to plan and to direct the implementation of those plans

The ability of the entire work force, not just management, to constantly improve both the product and the processes whereby it is produced