Outsourcing logistics has established itself in the area of the LSP (Logistics Service Provider), which offers a range of services to its customers. In this line, transportation is characterized as one of the most important services, and therefore efficient fleet management is essential for establishing a high level of customer service. With advances in technology and vehicle tracking systems, this approach of management has gained new possibilities for the improvement of logistics services. By studying the specific case of an LSP, this paper investigates the use of these technologies in the management of their business and services. The results indicate that the LSP seeks to increase its services and to streamline information in order to respond to customer needs in real time. It is also evident in this case under study that the combination of the technology available together with the fleet management system has become a distinguishing feature for this LSP, one which increases their skills and important information for both customers and business.

A literatura sobre as Prioridades Competitivas da Produção evoluiu significativamente nos últimos anos, mas apresenta ainda alguns pontos não consensuais, relacionados (1) à própria definição de quais dimensões devem ser consideradas e quais são seus elementos constitutivos, (2) `a existência de compatibilidades e/ou incompatibilidades entre elas e (3) à proposição de uma determinada seqüência lógica de prioridades a ser implementada pelas empresas. Discutimos neste trabalho essas questões, ainda de forma preliminar, considerando alguns modelos teóricos e pesquisas de campo apresentados na literatura e, ainda, duas pesquisas empíricas realizadas recentemente em empresas do estado de São Paulo. Os relatos e os levantamentos empíricos evidenciam que mesmo que se possa conceber uma seqüência genérica, a longo prazo, de Prioridades Competitivas, e mesmo que sepossam estabelecer níveis mínimos de desempenho para essas prioridades, numa determinada situação competitiva, a formulação da Estratégia de Produção irá requerer sempre a escolha e definição de qual ou quais devem ser as prioridades a curto e médio prazos, considerando-se sempre a Estratégia Competitiva da empresa e a análise dos pontos fortes e fracos da Produção.

Literature on Manufacturing Competitive Priorities has evolved considerably in the last few years but it still has some points about which a consensus has not been reached related to (1) the dimensions that should be considered and what their main elements are, (2) the existence of trade offs amongst them and (3) the proposition of a specific sequence ofpriorities to be implemented over time by the firms. We aim to discuss those issues in this work in a preliminary manner, considering theoretical models and field research presented in the literature and two pieces of empirical research carried out recently in some firms of the state of São Paulo. Reports and empirical data have shown that even if it were possible to conceive a generic sequence of Competitive Priorities in the long run, and even if it were possible to define qualifying levels for those priorities in a certain competitive situation, the formulation of Manufacturing Strategy will always require the choice and definition of which priorities should be established in the short and medium run by considering the Competitive Strategy of the firm and the strongest and weakest points of its Manufacturing Function.

No processo de redescoberta da Manufatura presenciado nos últimos anos, vários têm sido os trabalhos publicados clamando pela necessidade de se tratar a mesma sempre sob uma ótica estratégica dentro das empresas. Sob este contexto, este trabalho relata sobre o conceito de Estratégia da Manufatura e sobre a estrutura lógica de uma modelo de integração das atividades de Planejamento e Controle da Produção a uma Estratégia da Manufatura, proposto pelos autores. A proposta principal do artigo é apresentar alguns dados de uma pesquisa de campo realizada em 12 empresas representativas operando no estado de São Paulo, no tocante às suas Estratégias Competitivas e Prioridades Competitivas da Manufatura. Os dados mostram principalmente que o conceito de Estratégia da Manufatura, tal como está aqui formalizado, era praticamente desconhecido pelas empresas, havendo muito pouca integração da Manufatura com as Unidades de Negócios as quais ela pertencia.

In the process of re-discovering of Manufacturing observed in the last years, many works have been published claiming that it is necessary to deal with Manufacturing always under a strategic vision in the company. At this context, this paper relates about the Manufacturing Strategy concept and about a logic framework of a model of integration of Production Planning and Control in a Manufacturing Strategy, proposed by this authors. The main proposal of this paper is to show some dates of an exploratory research, made in twelve representative companies operating in São Paulo State about theirs Competitive Strategies and Manufacturing Competitive Priorities. The results of this research show mainly that the companies presented an incipiente diffusion of Manufacturing Strategy concepts and a small integration between the Manufacturing and its Business Unit.