Describe current and emerging trends in manufacturing.
Description should define current and emerging trends as those that are
- new practices, behaviors, or styles accepted as desirable by consumers
- driven by technological advances and evolving and changing frequently
- often determined by demographic research, the results of which are often completely subjective
- a result of qualitative and quantitative data analysis
- perpetuated when companies see them as essential to successful manufacturing.
Process/Skill Questions:
- How can understanding an industry's past help understand current and emerging trends?
- What recent communication developments might lead to new trends in manufacturing?
- How might the push toward cleaner energy influence manufacturing in the future?
- How was manufacturing in the U.S. in the 19th century similar to, and different from, manufacturing in the 21st century?
- What country’s manufacturing workers are considered the most productive in the world? Why?