About the Authors Patrick McHugh is a Managing Partner in Coopers & Lybrand Management Consultants (C& L). His extensive international work has included advising manufacturing companies, governments and public sector on areas from competitive strategy and industrial policy to corporate restructuring and technology management. He founded the Engineering Group in the UK and the C& L International Centre for Technology and Engineering Management. He is currently responsible for developing the firm' s strategic performance improvement services. Giorgio Merli is a Senior Partner in Galgano & Associati, one of Italy' s largest management consulting firms. A graduate engineer with a master' s degree in manufacturing management, he started his career with Philips and became an industrial manager. He has carried out several reorganizational projects in Italian and multinational companies and has been particularly involved in the implementation of Total Quality and Lean Organization strategies in Western companies. He is consultant to CEOs of important multinational companies and juror for the European Quality Award (EQFM). Merli has also published many books in the management field. William A. Wheeler III is a Partner in the C& L Management Consulting Services Group and is responsible for the National Just-In-Time (JIT) and Manufacturing Strategy practices in the USA and the International Manufacturing Strategy Center of Excellence. He has participated in and managed numerous domestic and international consulting engagements that involve the major elements of strategy and productivity improvement including, quality, engineering, and materials systems. He has woninternational recognition for his contributions in the field of JIT. He originated the concepts of Co-Op Contracting and BreakPoint Manufacturing Strategy, which have been adopted by major corporations throughout the world.
