often with computerized systems that use robot-controlled machinery. Automation is
expensive, however, and is not a cure-all for an obsolete production process. Many
problems are rooted in systems and attitudes, and by focusing on those areas first, the
firm can reap even greater gains from automation. In automating a process, employee
involvement and motivation are the first step, and simplification of the existing process
is second. Only then should a large investment in automation be considered. Innovative
and experimental applications, including changes in systems and attitudes, now permeate business from product design to production scheduling, the manufacturing process,
inventory management, quality control, and strategic decision making.