The development of new technology is having a profound effect on the way in which manufacturing companies are organised and managed, and this book will be the first to cover these developments in a style suitable for students at higher national or undergraduate level. As the proposed new foundation degrees are introduced over the next few years, this book will also be an attractive purchase for students on those courses. The book will deal with three broad areas: development and application of management philosophies such as concurrent engineering; the use of ICT (internet, intranet etc) ; and modern advances in manufacturing technology. However, it will also seek to demonstrate the links between these areas and put each into the context of a modern manufacturing company. The authors have a combination of extensive writing experience (RT) and up-to-date knowledge of current best practice in manufacturing and educational developments (SW) which will enable them to achieve the aims of the book. Wilkinson's range of industrial contacts will also be an invaluable source of case study material to bring the subject matter to life.