Vantaggi
High control over processes with ERP system, when it works. Management team is skilled, but lacks horsepower to actually implement improvements Shop-floor leadhands are the best in the business, but are crippled by upper management decisions. A wide variety of expensive machines with an impressive amount of unused capacity.
Svantaggi
All Quality documentation managed by an Excel spreadsheet. PDM system implementation not taken seriously, and postponed indefinitely due to lack of manpower to implement Underpaid and aging workforce is largely "grandfathered-in" - poor performance and no desire to biopsy poor employees from workforce establishes job security for poor performers. This demoralizes some incredibly talented employees within the company, driving performance downward. Improvement project feedback loop is broken, after legwork is done, ROIs established and a positive reception from management, most projects never see the light of day. All work done towards the project is moot, and nonexistent project management structure means it just drops off the map. Or inversely, lingers there forever. "Your new diecast machine will come next quarter" - For two years, for instance Company spends more time and money tracking performance than dealing with the lack thereof.