Mr. Northern came to Delphi from Pratt & Whitney, the aircraft-engine manufacturer, considered a standout in its embrace of manufacturing efficiency.
Keeping unions out has helped foreign automakers maintain significant leads in manufacturing efficiency.
That was true even when Japan seemed to be years ahead in manufacturing efficiency.
Dell knows that its success is due largely to its focus on manufacturing efficiency, not software.
But that is not what is ordinarily thought of as manufacturing efficiency.
While the report's main focus was on manufacturing efficiency, it also highlighted some of the forces working against domestic companies.
Today, a report on manufacturing efficiency in North American auto plants last year showed encouraging results for American automakers.
Organizations often seem obsessed by measuring fractional shifts in operational performance, capturing data on sales, inventory turns, and manufacturing efficiency.
During tapping processes, the chip snarling problem must be resolved to improve manufacturing efficiency.
He added that G.M.'s progress on manufacturing efficiency was encouraging but that it would still take years to change perceptions about G.M.'s quality.
Even Toyota, the global leader in manufacturing efficiency, conceded in December that its auto business would report a yearly loss for the first time in 70 years.
