Video case study - New Balance quality in a successful UK factory

This has to be one of the best short business videos ever produced by the BBC.  Absolutely perfect for some great business studies lessons…

The New Balance factory in Cumbria is quite different.  It makes running shoes and other trainers to compete with the low labour-cost factories in the Far East.  The 2 minute video highlights some really important points about how it competes effectively. 

Here is the video

Terrific stuff.  Some possible follow-up or discussion questions below:

- Why does the New Balance factory need to undertake a “relentless search to boost output & improve productivity”

- What is meant by contiunous improvement?

- “If you love your job, it goes a long way to making people good workers” according to Billy Edgar.  To what extent do you agree with this view?

- Evaluate the importance of location to the success of the New Balance factory

- New Balance wants to triple the factory output from 1 million to 3 million pairs of trainers per year.  Outline the main challenges New Balance will have to overcome if they are to achive this objective

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