Flynn book examines high performance manufacturing practices

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Manufacturers have been hit hard by this year's economic slowdown, which has made strategies outlined in a new book about achieving high performance manufacturing even more valuable, according to a professor at Wake Forest University's Babcock Graduate School of Management.

"High-performance manufacturers should be better equipped to deal with an economic slowdown because they have the ability to compete on several dimensions of competitive performance simultaneously," says Barbara Flynn, co-editor of "High Performance Manufacturing: Global Perspectives" (John Wiley & Sons, New York, 2001). Flynn, professor of operations management at Wake Forest's Babcock School, co-edited the book with Roger Schroeder of the University of Minnesota.

Having high performance manufacturing strategies in place during difficult economic times gives producers options, such as the flexibility to produce low-cost products, Flynn says.

"The low-cost element becomes more important in times of economic slowdown," Flynn says. "High-performance manufacturers will stand out above their low-cost counterparts because they are strong on other dimensions of competitive performance and offer more value to potential customers."

The book explains how just-in-time practices, total quality management, new technology, information systems, human resource practices and manufacturing strategy can be used in a plant environment to achieve high performance manufacturing. It compares manufacturing practices in 164 factories in the United States, Japan, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom, and is part of the Wiley Operations Management Series for Professionals. The book includes chapters written by researchers from the London Business School, Yokohama University, Wake Forest and Minnesota, among other schools.

Flynn serves as editor of Decision Line and Quality Management Journal, and has held leadership positions with the American Society for Quality and APICS, formerly known as the American Production and Inventory Control Society. The National Science Foundation funded her research on world-class manufacturing practices, and she has worked with research partners in Europe and Japan to examine the relationship between product-development speed and quality and international operations strategy.

Flynn holds a bachelor's degree from Ripon College, an MBA from Marquette University and a DBA from Indiana University.

Last updated 8/24/01