Strategic issues in implementation of CIM technology in PRC/HK enterprises

Since the 1980s, CIM concepts and technologies have been applied by many manufacturing enterprises to remain competitive in the keen market environment. Faced with so many new technologies, entrepreneurs of PRC/HK enterprises sometimes feel ill at ease and even bewildered, although the PRC government has been supporting a number of CIM development initiatives since 1986. This paper sketches the development trends of modern manufacturing technologies and their applications in PRC/HK industries. The findings are based on a series of survey visits carried out in PRC/HK. The implementation strategies and methodologies appropriate for manufacturing automation and computerization are put forward, taking into account the opportunities and challenges faced by these PRC/HK enterprises.