The document discusses how a Manufacturing Execution System (MES) can help manufacturers address challenges of global manufacturing by providing visibility across plants, improving productivity, and enabling real-time reaction to changes. An MES interconnects ERP systems with manufacturing plants to increase reactivity, allow for planning and issue anticipation, transform constraints into advantages, and support continuous improvement. Key benefits of an MES over an ERP alone include improved work-in-progress visibility, production data analysis, quality management integrated within production, and shopfloor control.