27 – 28 September 2006, Moller Centre, Churchill College, Cambridge, UK
    Manufacturing and supply networks are increasingly managed on a global basis raising considerable challenges for research in all fields related to international strategy and operations. The annual Cambridge Symposium on International Manufacturing (CamSIM) aims to identify emerging industrial issues and facilitate the exchange of research thinking.  It provides a unique opportunity for industrial leaders and senior academics from around the world to address issues jointly and to identify promising approaches and areas for further research.  Each day of the Symposium focuses on different aspects of the topic facilitating attendance on a single day if desired.  Following the success of the 1st International Symposium on Global Manufacturing and China (GMC’05) in Hangzhou, Chain in the last November, a particular interesting point of this year’s Cambridge Symposium will combine both events together to address global manufacturing and supply networks as well as China’s role in the networks.
    
    Industrial Day - 27 September
    The first day consists of presentations by leading industrialists on the issues their companies are facing in developing international manufacturing and supply networks, and the initiatives they have taken to improve international competitiveness. This day provides a valuable opportunity for researchers to assess the extent to which previous research is helping companies understand and manage these issues, and to identify potentially fruitful fields for further research.
    The Symposium Dinner will be held in the evening of the first day in the Old Hall of Queens College.  
    
    Academic Research Day - 28 September
    The second day will comprise a mixture of key-note academic presentations and research papers in several parallel interest streams. The scope for papers is broad, building on recent issues in the management of international manufacturing and supply networks, and the areas of interest identified in previous Symposia. Some themes are listed below, but submissions are encouraged in any discipline or subject area related to the Symposium topic.
    Authors of selected contributions may be invited to develop their papers with a view to submitting them for publication in a special issue of IJOPM.  
    
    Symposium themes
    Manufacturing Networks of International Firms
    
    · Manufacturing internationalisation and globalisation of manufacturing networks
    · Strategies for designing and operating international manufacturing networks
    · Rationalisation of legacy networks
    
    · Cross-border M&A, and post-merger integration
    · Global location decisions and manufacturing localisation
    · Dynamic positioning strategy and capability development  
    International Supply Networks
    
    · Strategies for developing international supply networks.
    · Supply network configuration and capability development
    · Collaboration strategies with international partners
    · Global sourcing, outsourcing and subcontracting
    · Global manufacturing virtual networks
    
    International Manufacturing Environment
    
    · National manufacturing systems
    · Technology transfer and knowledge sharing in MNCs
    · Cluster development and regional characteristics
    · New competences for network management
    
    Global Manufacturing and China
    
    · Chinese manufacturing and its role in the world
    · Development of the Great China regions
    · “Made in China” and “Making it in China”
    · Internationalisation of Chinese companies
    
    Although the Symposium attracts an international audience of senior academics, papers from doctoral researchers are particularly encouraged. Presenters should bear in mind that industrial delegates are encouraged to stay for the research day and should therefore aim to make their work accessible to a nonacademic audience and to highlight any practical implications. The academic day will close with an open forum discussion of the papers presented.
    
    The Symposium organisers
    The Symposium is the annual gathering of the International Manufacturing Network (IMNet), a research network representing more than 20 institutions in 15 countries. It is organised and hosted by the Centre for International Manufacturing (CIM), one of several Research Centres in Cambridge University’s Institute for Manufacturing. CIM acts as a focal point for industrial managers and the wider community concerned with international manufacturing issues and problems. The formation of the Centre recognises the importance of these issues in the modern industrial environment alongside the traditional domains of manufacturing strategy and performance measurement, technology management, and product planning and introduction. www.ifm.eng.cam.ac.uk/cim
    This year’s combined symposiums will co-organised IMNet, Cambridge Centre for International Manufacturing, the College of Management of Zhejiang University, China, and National Innovative Research Base of Philosophy and Social Sciences on “ Innovation Management and Sustainable Competitiveness”, Zhejiang University
    
    
    
    Important dates for abstracts and papers
    · 3 July: submission of abstracts (max 400 words). Earlier submission strongly advised
    · 17 July: notification of abstract acceptance
    · 11 September: full paper final submission for accepted abstracts
    
    Alternatively
    · 14 August: direct full paper submission (max 7000 words)
    · 28 August: direct full paper submission notification
    
    All abstracts should be sent to Rebecca Kilby at:
    Institute for Manufacturing, Mill Lane, Cambridge, CB2 1RX. Tel: +44 (0)1223 766141. Email: rek24@eng.cam.ac.uk  
    
    Symposium venue
    M?ller Cente, Churchill College , Cambridge
    The M?ller Centre is an award-winning Management Training and Conference Venue. It was designed by Danish Architect Henning Larsen to create a stylish venue for residential training and conferences.
    
    Booking information
    Booking information will be circulated nearer the event. Should you wish to be added to the email circulation list please provide your contact details to Rebecca Kilby at the address above.