THE WORLD IS CHANGING AND COMPANIES INVOLVED IN WELDING ALSO NEED TO CHANGE. ONLY THE BEST WILL SURVIVE. MANAGEMENT MUST UNDERSTAND, PLAN AND CONTROL THE SIGNIFICANT WELDING VARIABLES THAT WILL TURN THEIR WELDING OPERATION INTO A PROFIT CENTER. WELDING IS A COMBINATION OF SCIENCE AND ART, AND IF PROPERLY MANAGED, IS ONE OF THE MOST LUCRATIVE, YET UNTAPPED, PROFIT GENERATORS IN TODAY'S INDUSTRY. A MANAGEMENT PLAN IS PRESENTED IN THE FORM OF A METHODOLOGY TO BALANCE THE SCIENCE (ENGINEERING) AND ART (WELDER SKILL) FOR PRODUCTIVITY AND WELD QUALITY IMPROVEMENT AND CONTROL OF FABRICATION AND WELDING OPERATIONS. (PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED AS SME TECHNICAL PAPER MM87-599.)