Manufacturing flow line systems: a review of models and analytical results

The most important models and results of the manufacturing flow line literature are described. These include the major classes of models (asynchronous, synchronous, and continuous); the major features (blocking, processing times, failures and repairs); the major properties (conservation of flow, flow rate-idle time, reversibility, and others); and the relationships among different models. Exact and approximate methods for obtaining quantitative measures of performance are also reviewed. The exact methods are appropriate for small systems. The approximate methods, which are the only means available for large systems, are generally based on decomposition, and make use of the exact methods for small systems. Extensions are briefly discussed. Directions for future research are suggested.National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant DDM-8914277

In Every Town and Village: Adaptive Strategies in the Communication of Krishna Consciousness in the UK, the First Thirty Years

The raison d'être of ISKCON is the communication of the name of Krishna worldwide, ensuring that it reaches into the hearts and minds of those in every town and village. ISKCON's own intention, derived from the teachings of Chaitanya and preached unceasingly by the founder, Bhaktivedanta Swami, provides a focus for assessing the success of the movement since its arrival in England in 1968. What strategies have been adopted for achieving this objective? How have the strategies changed as ISKCON has increased its membership and support throughout the UK, and has become more established on the public religious scene? Using ISKCON's publications and ephemera, the author evaluates the shift from world-rejection to social integration, and from the desire for refuge to the more recent commitment to encounter and dialogue. Does this represent a change of message or merely the rise of new messengers