Management of the manufacturing function in Sri Lanka has rarely received the attention and serious thought it requires and deserves, both at a corporate level and at national level. Policy initiatives have generally focused on the manufacturing and marketing of products without any attempt at understanding the structure and dynamics of sustainable competitiveness in manufacturing. Though courses involving production, operations management, supply chain are provided in some of Sri Lanka’s universities and institutions at undergraduate and post graduate levels, there is a probably, just one Sri Lankan university which looks at manufacturing management from an industry practitioner’s perspective. Whilst it may be fashionable to speak of the virtues of the service economy, it is little realized that manufacturing forms the heart of any productive economy.
In view of the importance of manufacturing, the manufacturing management certificate course and the executive diploma at IMM aims at providing academic and professional level training and development to school leavers, shop floor supervisors and front line manufacturing leaders for enhanced careers in manufacturing organisations. It is envisaged that the conceptual, human , technical and problem solving skills along with soft skills and leadership competencies developed through these courses of study would result in manufacturing leaders with the dedication necessary to propel Sri Lanka’s rather rudimentary manufacturing base towards world-class manufacturing and competitiveness.