Effective Integration of Manufacturing Strategy

Abstract As we move further into the 21st century there is increasing competition among organisations to operate efficiently, hold on to their market share and capture additional share from their competitors. Achievement of these goals depends on a number of factors. One of the routes that are pivotal to a positive contribution is effective alignment and application of manufacturing strategy. This requires visibility of the current level of the organisation that will help direct the strategy in the appropriate direction to achieve maximum benefit. Additionally if the organisations can get a good understanding of their current positioning and level, they can proactively pursue to move to the next level. While the above mentioned may seem straight forward, it is not due to various reasons. There is also the absence of effective routes to facilitate organisations to take this step with confidence. The lack of some form of guidance can be an issue especially for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Understanding the key problem and gaps will establish suitable guidance in this area that organisations can use. This paper will demonstrate the gaps, highlighting the classification of available framework and understanding the need to establish systems that would provide support to organisations.