Iris Chang

Cellular manufacturing is an application of Group Technology in which machines or processes have been aggregated into cells, each of which is dedicated to production of a part or product family or limited group of families. Parts with similar processing requirements are identified; these are then placed into logical groups called part families and the equipment requirements for each part family are subsequently determined. A part family is a collection of parts which are similar either because…

Unfortunately, some companies have mismanaged their greatest asset—their brands. This is what befell the popular Snapple brand almost as soon as Quaker Oats bought the beverage marketer for $1.7 billion in 1994. Snapple had become a hit through powerful grassroots marketing and distribution through small outlets and convenience stores. Analysts said that because Quaker did not understand the brand’s appeal, it made the mistake of changing the ads and the distribution. Snapple lost so much…