Publisher's Synopsis
The subjects contained in this book all transcend specific skills of engineers, experts, or management scientists, emphasizing holistic as well as analytical approaches for problem identification and solving in new and unpredictable situations. The greater the complexity of engineering projects, the higher the probability of committing elementary errors; the papers presented in this book stress the need for flexibility and the concentration of forces in production economics, in order to propose and implement approaches and solutions which can be adapted to continuously changing circumstances. The state-of-the art of production economics is approaching a critical point in its evolution where it can be seen as part of a greater network, involving people and locations throughout the world. It is hoped that the readers of this volume will perceive production economics as an ongoing and open project, as a methodological work in progress, which requires the combined efforts of scientists and practitioners for coping with the many open questions that it poses.
