Production Management Methods: Proceedings of the Ifip Wg5.7 Working Conference, Gramado, Brazil, 21-24 March 1994 (Ifip Transactions B: Computer Ap)

National borders are becoming increasingly open for goods and ideas and this is creating challenges both for the industrialized countries and for the developing world. Most countries wish to keep and to "grow" their industries and this requires the design and operation of very complex systems in such a way as to maximize jobs, profits and the quality of life in general, under quite different conditions. An improved understanding of the distinct operations, variable trade offs - indeed quite "individual" conceptual models of manufacturing systems in different regions is therefore necessitated. This publication addresses various aspects involved in the achievement of the aim. It presents new developments in production management methods; tools for the evaluation of them; and assessments of the adequacy of different production management methods applied to various classes of production systems. Test cases and application statistics are analyzed, thereby affording a comprehensive picture of the present situation and a vision for enhanced future development.