"Assembling Critical Components examines the necessity for technical and professional communication to consider the identity of the field rather than its definition. In shifting to an assembled identity made of component parts, the book illustrates that at any given time or in different contexts a different component can be used to argue for or to produce technical and professional communication. Each chapter, then, examines a specific component of the field's identity to illustrate a range of knowledges and practices that comprise important components of the field"--

Assembling Critical Components presents TPC as a collective identity and provides a framework for situating critical components of the field.

The technologies for product assembly and manufacturing evolve along with the advancement of enabling technologies such as material science, robotics, machine intelligence as well as information and communication. Furthermore, they may be subject to fundamental changes due to the shift in key product features and/or - gineering requirements. The enabling technologies emerging offer new opportunities for moving up the level of automation, optimization and reliability in product assembly and ma- facturing beyond what have been possible. We see assembly and manufacturing becoming more Intelligent with the perception-driven robotic autonomy, more flexible with the human-robot coupled collaboration in work cells, and more in- grated in scale and complexity under the distributed and networked frameworks. On the other hand, the shift in key product features and engineering requirements dictates the new technologies and tools for assembly and manufacturing to be - veloped. This may be exemplified by a high complexity of micro/nano system products integrated and packaged in 3D with various heterogeneous parts, com- nents, and interconnections, including electrical, optical, mechanical as well as fluidic means.

Building a New Majority weaves together the autobiographical recollections of the political and professional life of the author, Michael P. Balzano, with his seasoned analysis of several successful Republican presidential campaigns. The combination provides the foundation for recommendations for current and future Republican candidates to follow in capturing a majority of the nations working-class voters. The narrative follows the author, the son of working-class Italian immigrants, from his boyhood in New Haven, Connecticut, through his time as a high-school dropout and garbage collector to his return to school, where he earned a doctoral degree at Georgetown University. His story attracted the attention of staff members in the administration of President Richard M. Nixon. Brought on board to provide insights and to coordinate efforts to reach ethnic and working-class voters as part of Nixons strategy to create a New Majority, he contributed to the winning 1972 campaign. He later performed similar roles in President Ronald Reagans 1980 and 1984 campaigns and in President George H. W. Bushs 1988 campaign. From these experiences, he offers guidance to Republican candidates seeking to win elections by appealing to members of labor unions and the working class. For any political party to win the White House, it must capture a majority of working-class voters. Building a New Majority is a blueprint for constructing a new Republican majority that can win elections. Building upon those victories, they can govern in ways that invite all people to share in a common future in which individuals may improve their social status and their economic wellbeing, living out the American Dream.

Toyota Methods and Operating Models presents a case study of a small, traditional Italian manufacturer in the Toyota Industries Corporation Group, which began an important process of transformation until it became a successful, modern and advanced international business: Toyota Material Handling. Toyota management made internal changes and developed the commercial networks, successfully applying the Toyota Production System (TPS, or Lean Production) as well as the values of the Toyota Way. Author Stefano Cortiglioni led the transformation project, which took four years. Toyota Methods and Operating Models presents the continuing success story. The authors analyze the Toyota methods and operating models that can be directly applied to your business in order to reach excellence in operations and industry 4.0. It provides tangible advice on how to grow a business and achieve commercial success, with superior processes and logistics networks, as well as the development of an advanced and highly successful supply chain.