he unique nature of each manufacturing process and customer requirement limite the prac-
tical range of alternative manufacturing atrategies. Manufacturing straegic range is con-
strained by both marketing and technological forces. Previling marketing pracitices serve
to ground manufacturing strategy in tems of customer acceptability. Technology drives
stratagy to a manufacturing model that is competitive. For example, a manufacturer having
a process dominated by economy of scale may desire to improve process flexbility. How-
ever, significant invesment will typically be required to inerease frequency and repetition.
Over time, the changing nature of the market and available technology serve to alter a
fim's strategic posture. Consider, for example, the steel industry, which was long domi-
nated by processes highly dependent on economy of scale. Recent years have
market acceptance of a wide range of new steel-based materials combined with value-
added services. The Steel Service Center introduced cutting and shaping postponement to
steel distribution as a way to increase customer accommodation. The Nature of basic steel
production has also undergone dramatic change. New process methods are being perfected
that reduce long-time dependence on high-scale manufacturing processes. The combined
impact of these changes in market and process has shifted the strategic posture of steel
producers.