Evaluating Manufacturing Extension: A Multidimensional approach

This article provides a multidimensional approach to evaluating the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program as administered in the Chicago metropolitan area. The MEP concept is based on the provision of technology-related services to address many of the manufacturing productivity-improvement barriers. Using a variety of qualitative and quantitative techniques, this research demonstrates that delivery of these services has been somewhat limited in practice. After demonstrating that the Chicago Manufacturing Center and MEP are not delivering primarily technologyrelated services to small and midsized manufacturing firms, the author raises the question of legitimacy. This finding suggests that the program needs to be redesigned to more adequately account for current economic and market conditions, taking into account the way small and midsized manufacturers process information and make decisions.