Manufacturing for the Security of the United States: Reviving Competitiveness and Reducing Deficits
An important contribution to the literature of business and international security, this volume takes a two-pronged approach to the study of U.S. manufacturing. McGarrah first provides an in-depth examination of the internal and external factors that have contributed to the decline of U.S. manufacturing capabilities in recent decades, focusing particular attention on U.S. arms procurement and export contracting, the widespread emphasis on short-term profits and cash-flows at the expense of long-term gains, product quality and productivity. McGarrah then proposes a series of internal and government-led reforms that, he argues, would not only contribute to a revival of the competitive position of U.S. manufacturing within the world economy, but also release budget dollars for such projects as rebuilding the U.S. infrastructures for transportation, education, water resources and funding plans for a Marshall Plan revival with Third World nations.

McGarrah begins by demonstrating the importance of manufacturing firms as the pivotal institutions providing for military, economic, political and social security and progress for industrialized and developing societies; also as providers of highly paid, highly skilled jobs not generated by the service industries. He then identifies the internal causes of U.S. manufacturers' decline: the ascendancy of financial and accounting executives over engineering, production and marketing executives; the dominance of a strategy for corporate growth via financial conglomeration and divestiture (making more money for fewer people), instead of making better products, just-in-time, for more people; concentrating more on controlling flows of cash than flows of materials, products and information to serve customers' needs for improvements. Turbaning to a discussion of external influences, McGarrah argues that the Pentagon's arms procurement and export policies for U.S. military-industrial independence, vis-a-vis other Western democratic allied nations have exacerbated problems of indolence, lost competitiveness and export markets for American manufacturers. Reform from within, McGarrah asserts, can be accomplished if companies spend less time on balance sheet ledger and paper entrepreneurship and pay more attention to democratic-participatory management (less to bureaucracies, hierarchies and special interests) in planning controlling qualities and flows of products to markets. He also advocates greater U.S. allied cooperation in funding, procurement, production and deployment of common conventional weapons. With the savings from such cooperation, the United States could then reduce Federal deficits, finance and operate a civil-industrial-university complex for advanced research and development (patterned after precedents of the U.S. agri-business-university complex), and revive the Marshall Plan to boost manufacturers' exports and enhance political and economic ties with Third World nations.

1132774291
Manufacturing for the Security of the United States: Reviving Competitiveness and Reducing Deficits
An important contribution to the literature of business and international security, this volume takes a two-pronged approach to the study of U.S. manufacturing. McGarrah first provides an in-depth examination of the internal and external factors that have contributed to the decline of U.S. manufacturing capabilities in recent decades, focusing particular attention on U.S. arms procurement and export contracting, the widespread emphasis on short-term profits and cash-flows at the expense of long-term gains, product quality and productivity. McGarrah then proposes a series of internal and government-led reforms that, he argues, would not only contribute to a revival of the competitive position of U.S. manufacturing within the world economy, but also release budget dollars for such projects as rebuilding the U.S. infrastructures for transportation, education, water resources and funding plans for a Marshall Plan revival with Third World nations.

McGarrah begins by demonstrating the importance of manufacturing firms as the pivotal institutions providing for military, economic, political and social security and progress for industrialized and developing societies; also as providers of highly paid, highly skilled jobs not generated by the service industries. He then identifies the internal causes of U.S. manufacturers' decline: the ascendancy of financial and accounting executives over engineering, production and marketing executives; the dominance of a strategy for corporate growth via financial conglomeration and divestiture (making more money for fewer people), instead of making better products, just-in-time, for more people; concentrating more on controlling flows of cash than flows of materials, products and information to serve customers' needs for improvements. Turbaning to a discussion of external influences, McGarrah argues that the Pentagon's arms procurement and export policies for U.S. military-industrial independence, vis-a-vis other Western democratic allied nations have exacerbated problems of indolence, lost competitiveness and export markets for American manufacturers. Reform from within, McGarrah asserts, can be accomplished if companies spend less time on balance sheet ledger and paper entrepreneurship and pay more attention to democratic-participatory management (less to bureaucracies, hierarchies and special interests) in planning controlling qualities and flows of products to markets. He also advocates greater U.S. allied cooperation in funding, procurement, production and deployment of common conventional weapons. With the savings from such cooperation, the United States could then reduce Federal deficits, finance and operate a civil-industrial-university complex for advanced research and development (patterned after precedents of the U.S. agri-business-university complex), and revive the Marshall Plan to boost manufacturers' exports and enhance political and economic ties with Third World nations.

75.0 In Stock
Manufacturing for the Security of the United States: Reviving Competitiveness and Reducing Deficits

Manufacturing for the Security of the United States: Reviving Competitiveness and Reducing Deficits

by Robert E. McGarrah
Manufacturing for the Security of the United States: Reviving Competitiveness and Reducing Deficits

Manufacturing for the Security of the United States: Reviving Competitiveness and Reducing Deficits

by Robert E. McGarrah

Hardcover

$75.00 
  • SHIP THIS ITEM
    Qualifies for Free Shipping
  • PICK UP IN STORE

    Your local store may have stock of this item.

Related collections and offers


Overview

An important contribution to the literature of business and international security, this volume takes a two-pronged approach to the study of U.S. manufacturing. McGarrah first provides an in-depth examination of the internal and external factors that have contributed to the decline of U.S. manufacturing capabilities in recent decades, focusing particular attention on U.S. arms procurement and export contracting, the widespread emphasis on short-term profits and cash-flows at the expense of long-term gains, product quality and productivity. McGarrah then proposes a series of internal and government-led reforms that, he argues, would not only contribute to a revival of the competitive position of U.S. manufacturing within the world economy, but also release budget dollars for such projects as rebuilding the U.S. infrastructures for transportation, education, water resources and funding plans for a Marshall Plan revival with Third World nations.

McGarrah begins by demonstrating the importance of manufacturing firms as the pivotal institutions providing for military, economic, political and social security and progress for industrialized and developing societies; also as providers of highly paid, highly skilled jobs not generated by the service industries. He then identifies the internal causes of U.S. manufacturers' decline: the ascendancy of financial and accounting executives over engineering, production and marketing executives; the dominance of a strategy for corporate growth via financial conglomeration and divestiture (making more money for fewer people), instead of making better products, just-in-time, for more people; concentrating more on controlling flows of cash than flows of materials, products and information to serve customers' needs for improvements. Turbaning to a discussion of external influences, McGarrah argues that the Pentagon's arms procurement and export policies for U.S. military-industrial independence, vis-a-vis other Western democratic allied nations have exacerbated problems of indolence, lost competitiveness and export markets for American manufacturers. Reform from within, McGarrah asserts, can be accomplished if companies spend less time on balance sheet ledger and paper entrepreneurship and pay more attention to democratic-participatory management (less to bureaucracies, hierarchies and special interests) in planning controlling qualities and flows of products to markets. He also advocates greater U.S. allied cooperation in funding, procurement, production and deployment of common conventional weapons. With the savings from such cooperation, the United States could then reduce Federal deficits, finance and operate a civil-industrial-university complex for advanced research and development (patterned after precedents of the U.S. agri-business-university complex), and revive the Marshall Plan to boost manufacturers' exports and enhance political and economic ties with Third World nations.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780899304274
Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date: 04/20/1990
Pages: 200
Product dimensions: 5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile: 1660L (what's this?)

About the Author

ROBERT E. McGARRAH is Professor of Management at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He served as Assistant Director, International Research & Engineering Programs, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Vice President, Logistics Management Institute for U.S. defense procurement policies, Assistant Director, International Division, U.S. General Accounting Office and as consultant on production-operations management for major U.S. manufacturing companies, as well as the author of numerous books and jourbanal articles on the U.S. Goverment's and manufacturers' policies affecting productivity, corporate morale and market competitiveness.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Manufacturers: Prime Generators of Industrial Progress
U.S. Manufacturers' Decline: Internal Causes
U.S. Manufacturers' Decline: External Causes
U.S. Manufacturers' Revival: Reform from Within
U.S. Manufacturers' Revival: Reforms by the U.S. Government
U.S. Marshall Plan Revival: Programs to Boost Manufacturers' Exports and Close Gaps with Third World Nations
Epilogue
Selected Bibliography
Index

From the B&N Reads Blog

Customer Reviews