Manufacturing Takes Center Stage in the Global Economy

- Frost & Sullivan and Manufacturing Executive join forces to strengthen the CEO growth agenda and enable manufacturing leadership

MOUNTAIN VIEW, California, Aug. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- A comprehensive, up-to-date understanding of an organization's overall environment is the bedrock for the successful evaluation and implementation of business strategies.  CEOs must have the capabilities to identify promising growth opportunities, evaluate prospects based on an all- encompassing outlook, and implement only those opportunities with the highest probability of return.  Frost & Sullivan's CEO 360 Degree Visionary Perspective addresses these needs, integrating all research methodologies to provide clients with a complete perspective of their industry.  To further support CEOs, Frost & Sullivan proudly announces the acquisition of Manufacturing Executive (ME), a portfolio including the first corporate-level global business leadership network in manufacturing, in addition to digital content and executive events focused on the corporate suite in manufacturing.

Click HERE to view the Manufacturing Executive video and gain access to the online community - http://ow.ly/cZEBc

"We are delighted to welcome Manufacturing Executive as part of the Frost & Sullivan organization," said Frost & Sullivan Chairman David Frigstad.  "As CEOs grapple with the complexity of growth, their teams are challenged with managing a 'Complex Business Universe,' which makes up our CEO 360 Degree Visionary Perspective model.  This is a composite view of seven market perspectives that are continually influencing and affecting the growth prospects of an organization. The perspectives include Mega Trends, Industry Convergence, Technology, Economic, Competitive, Customer, and Best Practices. Now, we will include Manufacturing within the Best Practices perspective. This is very exciting as we have always believed manufacturing should be part of the CEO's growth agenda and look forward to our global clients benefiting from manufacturing process benchmarking."

Organizations failing to incorporate the full 360 degree perspective place their future at risk.  Business history is filled with painful examples of companies that failed to keep focused on the future.  The accelerating pace of change requires an all encompassing perspective to not only survive, but to thrive as well.  Manufacturing, which is a pillar of economic strength as well as an influence to all industries, will now be a track within Frost & Sullivan CEO's Growth Team Membership program.  Additionally, Frost & Sullivan's successful manufacturing plant audits help manufacturers in their continuous journey toward manufacturing excellence in South Asia.

"This partnership with Frost & Sullivan will provide unique opportunities for tremendous growth worldwide, a critical value to all of ME's Manufacturing Leadership Council members as we align our goals and efforts," said Manufacturing Executive President Heather Holst-Knudsen.  "We are capable of taking the pioneering work of the Manufacturing Leadership Council in the U.S. and Europe and making it the global platform to drive industry change."

By joining forces, Frost & Sullivan and ME offer unparalleled value to the executive suite:  ME's Manufacturing Leadership Council, a membership association for global manufacturing executives, gains access to Frost & Sullivan's ongoing research on Mega Trends, the Future of Manufacturing and Production, and Best Practices, among others–all vital information to this community.  Conversely, Frost & Sullivan's clients gain an unprecedented opportunity to meet other senior level executives in a private business networking format via the unique Manufacturing Leadership Council, as well as access to thought leadership content generated by council members across all critical manufacturing and business segments.

"With the acquisition, our combined clients now have a powerful opportunity to benefit from Frost & Sullivan's Growth, Innovation and Leadership agenda," said Frost & Sullivan Global President and Managing Partner Aroop Zutshi.  "By aligning with our organization, Manufacturing Executive and the Manufacturing Leadership Council will now reflect the spectrum of industries that will shape global manufacturing. The Manufacturing Leadership Summit will be replicated in important global manufacturing hubs."

About Manufacturing Executive
Manufacturing Executive, formerly a division of Thomas Publishing Company, LLC, is the producer of an integrated portfolio of leadership networking, information and professional development products, programs, and services for industrial executives worldwide. Manufacturing Executive's mission is to help senior executives define and shape a better future for themselves, their organizations, and the industry at large. Manufacturing Executive's integrated portfolio consists of the Manufacturing Executive Website, an online global business network; the Manufacturing Executive Leadership Council, an invitation-only executive organization; the annual Manufacturing Leadership Summit conference; the Manufacturing Leadership 100 Awards program; and the Manufacturing Executive Leadership Journal. For more information, visit us at www.manufacturing-executive.com.

About The Manufacturing Leadership Council
The Manufacturing Leadership Council is a membership organization that comprises hundreds of the world's leading manufacturing executives who together form the industry's most forward-thinking, peer-advisory resource. Council members come from innovative organizations with a global agenda across all company sizes and vertical industries within the manufacturing ecosystem. Council members are committed to helping one another save time and money, avoid mistakes, and make better decisions through collaboration. The Manufacturing Leadership Council is headed by a Board of Governors from manufacturing, academia, and analyst organizations. For more information or to become a member, visit www.manufacturingleadershipcouncil.com.

About Frost & Sullivan  
Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. 

Our "Growth Partnership" supports clients by addressing these opportunities and incorporating two key elements driving visionary innovation: The Integrated Value Proposition and The Partnership Infrastructure.

• The Integrated Value Proposition provides support to our clients throughout all phases of their journey to visionary innovation including: research, analysis, strategy, vision, innovation and implementation.  
• The Partnership Infrastructure is entirely unique as it constructs the foundation upon which visionary innovation becomes possible.  This includes our 360 degree research, comprehensive industry coverage, career best practices as well as our global footprint of more than 40 offices.  

For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Is your organization prepared for the next profound wave of industry convergence, disruptive technologies, increasing competitive intensity, Mega Trends, breakthrough best practices, changing customer dynamics and emerging economies?  

Contact Us:  Start the discussion

Join Us:   Join our community

Subscribe:  Newsletter on "the next big thing" 

Register:   Gain access to visionary innovation

Contact:
Mireya Espinoza
Corporate Communications – North America
P: +1-210-247-3870
F: +1-210-348-1003
mireya.espinoza@frost.com
http://www.frost.com

SOURCE Frost & Sullivan