This project follows an earlier effort that studied fifteen different manufacturing technologies in 1042 manufacturing plants. The 1993 study developed benchmarks on technology use to help manufacturers and policy makers make informed decisions about manufacturing technology. Its findings indicate that the skilled use of soft and hard manufacturing technologies have a significant effect on plant performance, measured by sales per employee and return on investment. This new study updates the benchmarks and examines more closely the skilled use of technology. Once again, the National Association of Manufacturers and Auburn University are providing significant support to this effort. The study uses questionnaires and on-site interviews and observations to identify factors enhancing and impeding skilled use; these procedures have been enhanced to assure higher rates of return for the questionnaires. The information provides data to model the effect of factors such as the effectiveness of training, training effort, technology infrastructure and the learning capability of the plant on skilled use. Via a sub-contract, the project will also develop alternative models, including structural and neural models to study the collective effect of several input variables on output or performance variables. The project is expected to result in publications, including one through The Manufacturing Institute (NAM). The data will be archived at Auburn University.
