A catalyst for U.S. competitiveness: programs of the Commerce Department's Technology Administration are stressing cooperation with industry and academia
Article Abstract:
The US Commerce Department's Technology Administration, created in 1988, is already active in several ways: it has begun a product data exchange standards program, has organized the US response to the Japanese proposal involving intelligent manufacturing systems (IMSs), and is promoting technology transfer. As manufacturing changes in response to global economic conditions and advances in electronic technologies, mass production changes into what has been called 'lean production' or 'agile manufacturing': state-of-the-art manufacturing processes now are characterized by flexibility, short product cycles and high quality output. Studies show that American businesses, especially smaller ones, are having difficulty keeping up with these kinds of changes. Here, the Technology Administration can be especially helpful, providing manufacturers with research findings, technical information, expertise and standards-related data. In its efforts, the Technology Administration is supported by work of vital and fundamental importance being accomplished by scientists, engineers, technicians and others at the Commerce Department's National Technical Information Service (NIST), located at laboratories in Gaithersburg, MD, and Boulder, CO.
Publication Name: IEEE Spectrum
Subject: Engineering and manufacturing industries
ISSN: 0018-9235
Year: 1992
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
A view from the other side; a former General Electric engineer and manager, who turned to teaching, dispels some common myths about academia
Article Abstract:
There are several myths those in industry have about academia. Among those myths are the beliefs that academia is inefficient; that those who can't do, teach; that it is the fault of research-dominated engineering schools that the U.S. is lagging in manufacturing; and that going for an MBA distorts an engineer's values. Academic and industrial management are different in style and time constraints but are equally effective. One really learns a subject when having to teach, it especially when explaining a complex subject to a non-specialized audience. U.S. industry should target university research for linkage in order to become more competitive. Engineers, who traditionally get poor training in verbal communication, writing and teamwork, would do well to broaden their educations by taking advantage of the wide variety of courses in business schools.
Publication Name: IEEE Spectrum
Subject: Engineering and manufacturing industries
ISSN: 0018-9235
Year: 1990
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
Teaching information networking
Article Abstract:
Carnegie-Mellon University's Information Networking Institute offers a 14-month graduate program in a new discipline called information networking. The program, developed with the help of a $1 million grant from Bell Communications Research Inc, links the four academic areas of telecommunications, computers, business and public policy so that students will be prepared to handle businesses' information needs. Students generally have bachelor's degrees in electrical engineering, computer science or a related field. Course topics include communications engineering, computer architecture, circuit and packet switching, software engineering and artificial intelligence. Studies also address government regulation of telecommunications and information technology, and social impacts of information technology.
Publication Name: IEEE Spectrum
Subject: Engineering and manufacturing industries
ISSN: 0018-9235
Year: 1991
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
- Abstracts: How to measure continuous improvement. Measurements and the knowledge revolution: Getting the right information to the right people at the right time
- Abstracts: A survey of the cost of nonquality to a nation's economy: The Israeli experience. Quality movement helps Brazil's economy: Key was establishment of a foundation
- Abstracts: Report on non-metallic solar collectors: benefitting from the rapid progress of polymer technology, manufacturers have solved many early problems of plastics exposed to sunlight, heat, chemicals, and pressure
- Abstracts: Real-time simulation of air traffic control radar terminal with trainer interface. Cubic Corporation Awarded Two Contracts
- Abstracts: A Similarity Transformation for Numerical Integration of Piecewise-Linear Second-Order Differential Equations Without Damping