James J. Padilla, 55, the group vice president for global manufacturing, will have responsibility for the automaker's quality operations.

In 1999, she was named vice president for global manufacturing.

In her travels, she not only influenced global manufacturing based on Western practices, but returned with Eastern goods and inspirations.

'In our case, manufacturing improvements have been significant,' says John Driver, head of global manufacturing.

For example, China's share of global manufacturing increased from approximately 5% in 1996 to 12% in 2008.

Apple's rise to power in our time directly paralleled the transformation of global manufacturing.

They are moving, the executives say, toward global manufacturing that can be fine-tuned on a quarterly basis according to economic conditions in different markets.

Mylan has a global manufacturing of more than 45 billion doses.

"I think global manufacturing is the way the world is evolving, and I am comfortable with it."

But this approach violates principles held by Mr. Ayers and other advocates of global manufacturing.