If no serious operation can ignore market demands for service and world-class quality, why bother to try to separate manufacturing from service? Indeed, for a manufacturing organization aspiring to world-class status we would agree, most emphatically, that the management of such organizations must concern themselves with service and quality if they are to compete on the world stage. However, a manager in a service industry such as health, retail, distribution, education, travel, real estate, consultation, brokering, law, accounting, administration of central and local government, transportation of goods or people - the list is endless - where no direct manufacturing is involved, or where the manufacturing is light and simple (such as in a restaurant), does not have to know much about manufacturing. Although all the above industries are reliant on manufacturers to varying degrees for the equipment they use, or in the case of retailers for the goods they sell, the actual physical heavy work of making the goods is not their concern. The analogy is that of a driver of a car - it is possible to be a very good driver without knowing very much about what happens under the bonnet. Some knowledge as to when to change gear, and the danger of overheating due to lack of oil or water will be of advantage, but not much more is really necessary. Likewise for management in service industries; a detailed knowledge of line balancing for a high-tech mass production assembly line of...