The Worker Competences Needed to Support World Class Manufacturing Available to Purchase

Examines the links between world class manufacturing and the levels of worker competence required to achieve high rates of continuous improvement. First identifies the principles involved; second, shows how 82 plants in the UK East Midlands region approached the achievement of worker competences and how they did and did not link them with competitive strategy. Concludes with an outline of how plants can improve this key linkage. Data for this project were collected via 82 postal questionnaires which were followed up with interviews of the managing or manufacturing directors of plants. All the plants had over 100 employees per site and were manufacturing or assembly based.