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Although new liability rules for defective or harmful products have been in force for several years, many businessmen do not yet understand the changes made. The new rules have important implications for management, posing problems as well as opportunities. Analyzing the experience of many companies, the authors describe the most common errors manufacturing organizations make. The authors then turn to effective ways of dealing with current liability laws--policy positions, organization approaches, insurance, surveillance, and the development of "disaster plans." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conventional factory attempts to do too many conflicting production tasks within one inconsistent set of manufacturing policies. The chief result is that the plant is likely to be noncompetitive because its policies are not focused on the one key manufacturing task essential to successfully competing in its industry. In this article, the author discusses the concept of focused manufacturing, which offers the opportunity both to stop compromising each element of the production system and to build on competitive strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on a new trend in U.S. manufacturing in which small, low-cost minicomputers are working in factories doing repetitive, specialized jobs as small as running a single machine tool, or testing anything from carburetors to cigarettes. As reported, the earliest attempts at running multiple operations were made in the big process industries such as oil refining, power generating, and chemical production.

The article focuses on the developments in the U.S. motorcycle manufacturing industry. It reports that the U.S. motorcycle manufacturers Harley-Davidson motor Co. and Indian Motorcycle Co. have started manufacturing lightweight models of motorcycles. It further discusses business planning of Harley-Davidson and Indian on manufacturing and marketing of light motorcycles in the U.S.

The article offers information on a survey of manufacturing industry's capital expenditures conducted by the Department of Economics and the Research Department of the McGraw-Hill Publishing Co. Inc. It interprets the figures of the survey, focusing on capital expenditures in plant and equipment and expansion programs. Moreover, the survey demonstrated where the money of the industry comes from.

The article offers a summary of federal rules and regulations on priorities, allocations, price control and transportation in the U.S. in 1944. Iron and steel have been allowed for any lamp part. The Office of Price Administration (OPA) has permitted more hotel and rooming house operators to seek relief from quota regulations on rooms to be held for weekly or monthly occupancy. Restrictions on placing unrated or nonauthorized orders for manufacturing machinery equipment were imposed by the War Production Board (WPB).

The article reports that an increase of wool production is needed in the U.S. as 3,600,000 soldiers are required by the end of 1942. It mentions that over a billion pounds of wool have been consumed in 1941. It notes that the yardage of wool cloth available for civilian clothing has been minimized as consumption of wool by manufacturers is restricted.

The article focuses on the concept of pool bids to gain defense contracts in the U.S. The concept was conceived by manufacturer W.S. Shipley. It is stated that if a manufacturer does not have the sufficient lathes and presses to get a prime contract, two or three other manufacturers can supply the tools and share the contract. It informs about the necessity of the U.S. Army and the U.S. Navy to accommodate subcontracting to tackle the increasing defense production.

The article focuses on the plant facilities of the post-war period in the U.S. After the war it will be found that many of the largest manufacturing companies have utilized the last few years to effect the complete modernization of their manufacturing plant and equipment. Smaller companies will discover that, from a competitive standpoint, they are in much weaker shape than they were before the war. Since the public, as well as the smaller companies, will suffer, the government could very properly make it one of its goals to help bring the manufacturing plant of the country as a whole to the level of the most efficient of the large plants.

The article reports that the recent trend of wearing paper dresses has increased the sales of disposable garments in the apparel industry in the U.S. to an estimated 100 million dollars. As stated, some manufacturers see it as a permanent style. It states that in the conference of American Apparel Manufacturers Association in Dallas, Texas in June 1967 Oliver J. Sterling, president of James Sterling Paper Fashions predicted that these clothes will amount to 25 percent of the industry.

The article reports an increase in corporate profits in the U.S. following the boom in capital spending in 1964. Sales volumes at capital goods manufacturers have been boosted by capital goods purchases by U.S. industry which resulted in a strong performance of stocks on Wall Street. It is noted that steel mills will spend roughly 1.8-billion U.S. dollars for new plant and equipment in 1964.

The article forecasts an increase in U.S. manufacturers' sales abroad in 1964 to 50-billion U.S. dollars. IBM World Trade Corp. chairman Arthur K. Watson told the National Foreign Trade Council that their sales and profits are up. It is predicted that U.S. manufacturing industries would gain a total 50-billion U.S. dollars in profits. The factors that contribute to increased profits include rising business activity and a continued consumer boom in Western Europe.

The article discusses the increase in corporate cash flow in the U.S. Cash flow increased by 5.6 billion U.S. dollars to a total of 38.9 billion U.S. dollars. The state of the corporate bank balance is one of the factors affect decisions on capital spending, diversification and inventory. A survey of executives showed that capital spending is on the rise, as well as dividend payments and trade credit. Commerce Department revealed that manufacturing companies have generated after-tax profits of 26.8 billion U.S. dollars.

The article presents information on crisis confronting Western capitalism. The author does not want to join the oversimplifiers, and bring a false clarity to a situation that is admittedly complex. The cause of the depression that has swept the whole Western, world cannot be captured in a phrase or its cure distilled in an epigram. A lush variety of causes lies at the root of the economic crisis of the U.S. Political unrest the world around. American business and industry saw that a point had been reached in the evolution of our machine economy at which they must concern themselves with the purchasing capacity of the masses as-well as with the producing capacity of their manufacturing plants.

The article discusses industrial migrations of various manufacturing industries in the U.S. from the period ranging 1947 to 1954. It tackles the effects of the industry's decentralization and the industry's shift from the big metropolitan areas to smaller cities and towns on factory employment and income distribution. Charts depicting factory employment and regional shifts by industry are also presented.

The article discusses the growing importance of plant location in management in the U.S. Manufacturers are becoming more and more scientific in finding the right site for a new plant as a vital industry that is concentrated in one place could be eliminated overnight. To handle plant location problems, many companies have expanded their plant location staffs and some have hired private consultants.

The article discusses the capital spending plans of U.S. manufacturing industries in reference to the results of the 1954 annual business survey released by McGraw-Hill. The notable improvement in manufacturing spending despite the economic decline is considered as a reflection of business confidence. Possible reasons behind the discrepancy between the survey results and the report published by the Commerce Department on the same issue are described. The role of competition in spending plans, particularly of the automobile industry, is also noted.

The article discusses the possible shift of the U.S. manufacturing industry to mass assembly in the automatic factory. It notes that the manual assembly is one factor that affects the automatic manufacturing of chairs and other products. Engineers concentrate on improving product design and manufacturers will have to create products adaptable to automatic production. The molding machine would be connected to conveyors and handling devices. Operating decisions will also be fact in the automatic factory.

The article reports on the expansion of business activities in New York City. It states that despite being on of the most costliest city to do business, business in New York City has grown. It states the reasons for the increase in business activities in the city includes large population, high amount of wholesale trade and manufacturing activities. It states that despite the proposed changes in the city's budget which do not suit the businessmen, the business will continue to grow.

The article focuses on the economic activity in 1957 along with the economic forecasting for 1958 in the U.S. It says that despite the slowdown of production of all manufacturing industries in 1957, it is regarded as one of the prosperous year for businesses due to increased profit and sales records. It states that forecasts for business enterprises in 1958 include lower profits, layoffs, and sharp production cuts while the growth of consumers is estimated at the rate of 2,000,000 a year.

The article discusses the highlights of the Fifth Annual Congress on Better Living sponsored by McCall's Magazine in Chicago, Illinois in 1961. Among the subjects discussed by the 66 women who participated in the event were appliances, cars, and houses. Manufacturers' representatives heard several positive and negative comments on various products. A strong concern for family health and safety was also noted during the event.

The article discusses the estimates and forecasts for the personal income in the U.S. from 1959-1960 by the "Business Week." It mentions that the decline and improvement of the incomes in various states of the U.S. during 1959 were based on how they were affected by different events, like the steel strike in the manufacturing industry. It adds that incomes in industrial states for 1960 are expected to increase, although it may not be fast compared in 1959.

The article looks at the response of U.S. manufacturers to the influx of imports to the country. The imported products that have hurt domestic manufacturers include steel, textiles and semiconductors. The rise in imports has prompted U.S. manufacturers to join the competition through overseas operations, while others are trying to improve their products. Lower labor cost is cited as the main advantage of foreign competition over U.S. manufacturers.

The article reports on U.S. business plans to cut its capital spending in 1958 at 7% less than that of 1957, according to McGraw-Hill's capital spending survey in 1957. It reports that the manufacturing sector will cut their 1958 spending by 16% from 1957. The biggest reduction will reportedly come from the metal producing and metal-working industries. Only four industries, including electrical machinery, electric and gas utilities, petroleum and transportation and communications intend to increase their spending in 1958.

The article focuses on how Product Development Corp. (PDC) builds a relationship with the manufacturer and the inventor in the U.S. It notes that the company tries to review inventions for the interest of their clients who are the manufacturers. It mentions that PDC obtains from 600 to 1,000 ideas through sample products, a visit from the inventor or letters. It cites that if the product is approved then it is sent to potential manufacturer.

The article focuses on the market for atomic reactors in the U.S. It states that atomic reactors are those capable of melting radioactive materials if it gets out of control, and can show temperature levels to reactor operators. It mentions that firms manufacturing parts for atomic reactors are estimated to be 80% to 90% such as General Electric Co. and Leeds & Northrup Co. (L&N). It adds that marketing of atomic reactors is viewed to have four to six million dollars of sold controls by 1957.

The article discusses the growth in the oxygen industry in the U.S. It is stated that three industries in which substantial growth can be foreseen for the oxygen market are steel, chemicals and minerals. It is mentioned that the traditional oxygen suppliers in the U.S. are being led by Linda Air Products Corp.

Presents information on the strike by the workers in big textile companies of Lawrence, Massachusetts. Announcement by the textile companies of a general wage cut of 10 percent; Information that both the woolen mills and the print works at Lawrence are the biggest in the world; Decision of the Lawrence workers to fight against the wage cut; Claim that the textile workers, according to the United States Census of Manufactures, are the worst paid industrial group in the country; Steps adopted by the companies to discourage or scare the workers back to work.

The article presents information on several socio-political developments from across the world. In an article entitled "Value of Labor Statistics," the American Wool and Cotton reporter is led to make some remarks to manufacturers which, in view of their source, have great significance. It expresses its approval of the practice of comparing the yearly earnings of working-people in manufactures in the U.S. with those prevailing in similar occupations in countries which may be regarded as competitors. Lord Farrer, whose reputation as a financier is well known, has an article in the last Contemporary Review on Sir William Harcourt's budget, which touches incidentally on one of its most important features. As is already well known, Sir William is the first Chancellor of the Exchequer who has had the courage to attempt to infuse order into the financial chaos known in England as the succession or "death" duties.

During the 1960's and 1960's, the "white-collar" digital computer came into its own; despite grave doubts at the outset, it proved to have data-processing capabilities that were indispensable to management. Today another computer revolution is going on, with implications that are likely to be equally far-reaching. This is the decade of the "blue-collar" computer in the factory. The authors define its nature and discuss its rapidly expanding role in U.S. manufacturing. Then, since misconceptions about its use can be very costly to a company, the authors describe seven important lessons that can be learned from corporate experience to date with computer-based factory automation. Looking ahead, they see blue-collar computers in piece-parts manufacturing as well as the continuous process industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today's economic conditions, new technologies, and societal demands are impinging on the "old" factory system to the extent that the conventional production plant is fast becoming an anachronism. The problem, contends this author, is to somehow change the time-hardened image of the factory as an undesirable place for the work of intelligent, independent, and resourceful people. Overhauling this obsolete institution, he emphasizes, cannot he done piecemeal; the profound changes needed must be focused on increasing both its mechanization and humanization throughout the entire factory structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the manufacturing performance of the United States. The author argues that the problematic manufacturing situation of the U.S. demonstrates that the country is undergoing a fundamental change to its economic structure. The author analyzes the implications of these changes and explores the causes of the problem which are categorized into three classes: new pressures from outside the firm; new problems within the firm; and the impacts of accelerating technology. After discussing the causes in detail, the author concludes that technology, competition, and social change have brought serious problems for manufacturing. The author argues that mass production is an outmoded concept and that changes in production management are essential.