The Consortium for Advanced Manufacturing—International (CAM-I) is an international consortium of companies, consultancies, and academics that have elected to work cooperatively in a precompetitive environment to solve problems common to the group. Its sole purpose is to support member companies in their quest for excellence in today’s highly competitive global marketplace. This case requires you to use the CAM-I website at cam-i.org to complete the following requirements. Assume that a start-up manufacturing company has recently hired you, and your first task is to develop a cost planning and control environment for the firm.

Required:
a. Review CAM-I’s “Home” page and the “About CAM-I” page. Summarize the history and mission of the organization, and describe how CAM-I’s participative model produces value for its members.
b. Read CAM-I’s most recent “Projects and Deliverables” report to members. Prepare a one-page summary emphasizing important initiatives in progress from your perspective.
c. Read CAM-I’s value proposition, and review its membership options (large corporate, medium size, and small organization). Choose a membership option that you expect will be beneficial, and write a memo to your new supervisor describing your rationale to justify the cost of joining this organization.
d. Review CAM-I’s body of knowledge publications. Identify two items from the list of publications that would help you with your new responsibility. Explain your choices.
e. Review CAM-I’s wiki. Read the main-page overview of CAM-I’s Cost Management Systems (CMS) interest group, explore the 10 planning and budgeting “we share your pain” issues presented in the survey results list, and write a brief summary of your findings.