Abstract :
In today´s aggressively competitive environment, business in general and manufacturing engineering industries in particular have been forced to become better equipped to meet the challenges for survival and growth. Often advised by today´s growing army of consultants, an increasing number have addressed the problem through a variety of programmes under a variety of guises, all aimed at improving efficiency, productivity and competitiveness to varying degrees. One specialist consultancy has attempted to shed new light on how and where companies are succeeding-or failing-to meet the challenge.