Manufacturing Reigns Supreme

Many mainstream media outlets say we are about to move from the “Made in China era” into the “Intelligent Manufacturing in China era.” Having spent nearly twenty years in manufacturing, the author is an old hand in the workplace and has long wanted to write a novel of our own, one that belongs to us “manufacturing people,” and looks back on the youth we have left behind.

This novel portrays the workplace cultures of three different strata: gold-collar, white-collar, and blue-collar workers. In terms of the departments and their functions, it covers the many areas found in manufacturing companies, including production, quality, logistics, finance, human resources, sales, new product development, engineering, and continuous improvement. The author has personally managed some of these functions, while most of the others are in related departments closely connected to the author's work. Through a series of stories, the author brings them together to give readers a feel for their day-to-day operations and the challenges they face.

The characters and events in this book are fictional, but friends who know the author can easily spot the real-life inspirations behind them (please don't assume any character is you!). Some scenes even come from the author's work notes, keeping them true to life. May readers savor the ups and downs of workplace life and come away with something valuable; those who lived through the same era may find it especially relatable. Comments and suggestions are welcome.