World class manufacturing: techniques for implementation for small and medium sized enterprises

The range of techniques associated with competitive manufacturing has expanded rapidly since the inception of MRP in the 1960s. Schonberger (1986) integrated these techniques in to the generic term world class manufacturing (WCM). The range and sophistication of these techniques places WCM status beyond the aspirations and competence of many small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). The paper explores how the concept of WCM can be made relevant to SMEs, through the example of two case studies based on small to medium sized manufacturing companies experiencing both rapid growth and increasing international competition.