From Internet-enabled inventory control to everyday e-mail, the past decade’s advances in information technology have increased the pace of manufacturing. In this networked age, the new speed of doing business has been a bane for some manufacturers and a boon for others.

Likewise, globalization has created its share of winners and losers in all walks of industry. Global materials are cheap, global labor is cheaper, and global quality is often on par with goods made at home.

These two powerful forces -- technology and globalization -- continue to dramatically reshape the manufacturing arena and raise the bar on what it takes to successfully compete. Together, the two elements result in an almost unbeatable combination. The global flow of information accelerates the growth of new technologies and knowledge around the world. This growth fuels the exponential creation of new products and new product designs. Such developments are constantly changing the nature of competition, the scope of the marketplace, and customer expectations.

Given that the global economy’s thirst for new technology innovations and low-cost labor is here to stay, manufacturers don’t have much breathing room for making slow, incremental changes. Instead, what’s needed to address these challenges is an aggressive strategy characterized by speed and flexibility. Here are five ideas for not only staying in the global manufacturing game, but prevailing in it.

1. Get with the program -- and get lean. Lean manufacturing is no longer an option; it’s a requirement. Despite the demonstrated success of process improvement programs, many established manufacturers have been slow to catch on to the productivity revolution. In today’s environment, production operations must be viewed as a core competency. It’s impossible to compete without implementing efficiency improvements and cost-cutting measures wherever and whenever they make sense. The same holds true for process improvement technologies, such as computerized inventory control and e-commerce, which are merely opening antes in the worldwide manufacturing game.
   
   
2. Find a niche where you can add value. For some manufacturers, survival requires moving into niche markets in which technology and higher-skilled workers are more valuable than cheap mass production. Another option is to master the speed-to-market game and exploit the time-to-delivery benefit with customers who place a premium on supplier responsiveness.  Become aware of the broader universe of market opportunities, and explore a segment of your industry in which you can develop the capacity to dominate.
   
   
3. Abandon labor-intensive processes. There’s no denying the impact that labor competition from China and India is having on U.S. manufacturers. As a result, manufacturers are taking a long, hard look at their businesses to identify and eliminate labor-intensive processes that make competition with overseas competitors nearly impossible. Examine every hands-on process in your business, and eliminate those in which you cannot compete on a total-cost basis.
   
   
4. Develop a forward-thinking strategy to compete. A strategy to outperform competitors depends on a well-envisioned plan that takes a company in the direction of where its industry is headed, not where it stands at the moment. Proper strategic planning should include options for repositioning the business in response to strong, persistent competition. This can include changes in process technology, materials management, product innovations, capacity, and strategic buyer/supplier relations.
   
   
5. Always innovate. To paraphrase Darwin, the species that are most likely to survive are those that successfully adapt to change. Innovation is still a competitive advantage, and it continues to be easier for American companies to generate new ideas than it is for foreign companies, thanks to the climate of freedom and the intellectual property protections that U.S. businesses enjoy. Keep in mind that innovation requires the active management of all areas of the business, from new product ideas and new market opportunities to more efficient processes and more responsive supply chains.