Integrating marketing and manufacturing functions through focused manufacturing design

Suggests that focused manufacturing is a strategic orientation based on limiting the set of products, technologies, production volume range, and/or target markets for which a given plant is responsible. Provides a comprehensive discussion of the concept of manufacturing focus. Suggests the implementation of manufacturing focus as an approach to integrate marketing needs and manufacturing systems design. Proposes a five‐step procedure for implementing the concept of manufacturing focus, based on observations from a case study and related literature. Identifies critical issues in each implementation step and makes suggestions for dealing with these issues. Concludes that a model that provides such a systematic implementation procedure should enable managers to integrate marketing and manufacturing functions.