Economists have often argued that "pay for performance" is the optimal compensation scheme. However, use of the simplest form of pay for performance, the piece rate, has been in decline in manufacturing in recent decades. We show both theoretically and empirically that these changes are due to...

Economists have often argued that "pay for performance" is the optimal compensation scheme. However, use of the simplest form of pay for performance, the piece rate, has been in decline in manufacturing in recent decades. We show both theoretically and empirically that these changes are due to...

Over the last 20 years, the success of Japanese manufacturing firms has brought renewed attention to the importance of cost reduction on existing products as a source of productivity growth. This paper uses survey data and field interviews from the auto supply industry to explore the...

Using an original data source, this paper investigates the circumstances under which firms adopt computer numerical control (CNC), an important type of flexible automation which can significantly increase productivity, product variety and quality. The paper shows that arms'-length...

Using an original data source, this paper investigates the circumstances under which fmns adopt computer numerical control (cNC), an important type of flexible automation which can significantly increase productionproduct variety and quality. The paper shows that arms'-length supplier/customer...

Over the last 20 years, the success of Japanese manufacturing firms has broughtrenewed attention to the importance of cost reduction on existing products as a source ofproductivity growth. This paper uses survey data and field interviews from the auto supplyindustry to explore the determinants...

Introduction:In the past, efforts to improve the environment almost always led to increasedproduction costs. In fact, some economists have attributed a significant part of the slowdownin productivity growth of the 1970s to increased attention to environmental issues (Gray,1987; Conrad and Morrison,...

Honda of America has developed a comprehensive approach to teaching the principles of leanproduction to its suppliers. The centerpiece of these efforts is a program called BP (for "Best process","Best Performance", "Bs Practice"), in which a crossfunctional team of personel born Honda and...

Hon& of America has developed a comprehensive approach to teaching the principles of leanproduction to its suppliers. The centerpiece of these efforts is a program called BP (for ?Best process?,?Best Performance ?, ?Bs Practice?), in which a crossfunctional team of persomel born Honda and...