Review: One of the more pervasive changes in the manufacturing environment is the implementation of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. Manufacturing planning and control (MPC) is now embedded in ERP systems in a great number of organizations. This both increases the opportunities for effective management and the complexity of integration required. No MPC activity can now ignore the pervasiveness of ERP systems. The customer still remains king in the competitive manufacturing environment. The capabilities of manufacturing plus the expectations of customers has led to increased pressure for both speed and variety. Customers are demanding more tailoring in the products that they order and want them faster than ever. Part of this is derived from the expectation of shortened product life cycles, while part is derived from customers wanting more individualized treatment. A major change that has continued over all the editions of this book is that of globalization. Even small and medium-size enterprises now have manufacturing facilities in countries other than their own. In some instances, this is a complex network of facilities. In others it is a single manufacturing or manufacturing/marketing subsidiary. The implications of this are that the geographic reach and diversity of environments within which the material planning and control system must operate has increased and will continue to do so. -- Preface (p. [vi])