Production management principles and practices

Production Management

When answering the questions of where to locate a business that manufactures either lightweight jackets or electrical components for U.S. manufactured automobiles; Market Research comes to mind. Market Research highlights the importance of conducting extensive research in the building stages of any business structure. Salvaneschi expressed the importance of selecting the location for ones store as being the most important decision one will make in ones efforts to achieve success. Not only does Salvaneschi discuss the importance of location, he also refers to choosing the right product, and identifying one's market (Salvaneschi, pp. 1-2). It is also important that the local economy and the job market play a significant roll in where one locates a business (Womanowned.com [W], 2005, p.1). Womanowned.com 2005 gives some important questions that require answering during the early stages of business development. Where does one locate one's business? Is the local economy growing and building? Are the Market trends good?

Market Research is an important tool used in gathering information about the prospective location, clientele, and other necessary census data. Making sure that one takes the time to find out if the "idea" is appealing to others and if it can stand on its own two feet plays a significant role in the success of a business (Womanowned.com [WO], 2005, p.1). When deciding on a location to make lightweight cotton jackets or electrical components; one should use competitors as a valuable source of information regarding where manufacturing plants are located; when and where are most of the lightweight jackets/electrical components sold, as well as useful information on suppliers of cotton or other necessary materials (Salvaneschi, 1996, pp. 2-3). A good location for a clothing manufacturer that makes lightweight jackets out of cotton considering materials, space needed, and employee requirements would be in a southern state. The prime reason for picking a southern state is due to the large production of cotton in a state such as Alabama as well as the elimination of import fees for the materials. The temperature in southern states would create a higher demand for lightweight jackets than that of a northern state like Connecticut. A good location for a manufacturer of electrical components for U.S.-manufactured automobiles would be a state like Michigan. Michigan has proved to be a good location for companies like Ford. Considering that Michigan is the location of American made cars and one wants to produce American made electrical components, it would only be logical to locate ones company in proximity to an American automobile car manufacturer.