ENTERPRISE KNOWLEDGE IS INCREASINGLY DISPLACING CAPITAL AS THE PREMIER WEALTH-PRODUCING RESOURCE. ONE CRUCIAL ISSUE IS HOW TO CAPTURE AND USE THIS KNOWLEDGE TO IMPROVE PROFITABILITY, MARKET SHARE, COSTS AND TIME-TO-MARKET. GLOBAL COMPETITION WILL FORCE U.S. MANUFACTURERS TO IMPROVE OR CAPITULATE MARKET SHARE. AN ENTERPRISE FOCUS IS REQUIRED TO OPTIMIZE THE WHOLE; NOT JUST THE PARTS. FOR AMERICAN WORKERS TO BE MORE PRODUCTIVE AND RESPONSIVE TO THE DYNAMIC CHALLENGES OF THE WORK PLACE, THEY MUST WORK WITH MANAGEMENT TO UNDERSTAND THE ENTERPRISE PROCESSES, AND BE ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE IN DECISION MAKING. IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, EMPOWERED WORKERS ARE PERPETUALLY TRAINED IN THE MOST SOPHISTICATED DECISION MAKING AND TECHNICAL SKILLS AND GIVEN ACCESS TO SHARED INFORMATION (KNOWLEDGE) ABOUT THE ENTERPRISE TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE, PROCESSES, PRODUCTS AND PEOPLE CONTINUOUSLY. ACCOMPANYING THE NEW E