Introduction

Abstract

The manufacturing sector is currently facing a fundamental change from a seller’s market to a buyer’s market [1]. Competition on a national scale has intensified to a global arena [2], product life cycles have shrunk, and yet there is an escalating requirement to satisfy the specific and individual needs of customers. The success of a manufacturer is no longer measured by their ability to produce a single product cost effectively, but in terms of flexibility, agility and versatility. The changes in markets, customer requirements and technology have become the competition criteria. These rapid environmental changes have forced companies to improve their manufacturing performance in conditions of increasing uncertainty. In order to survive, manufacturing systems need to adapt themselves at an ever-increasing pace to incorporate new technology, new products, new organizational structures, etc.