Aberdeen's analysis of over 150 plant floor data management initiatives has resulted in the correlation of specific business capabilities in the areas of process, organization, knowledge and technology to Best in Class operational performance. Best in Class manufacturers are 15% more likely to be utilizing plant floor data that has been collected from an automated source. This data is 40% more likely to have been collected in real time and 31% more likely to have been integrated with ERP. Best in Class manufacturers, in regards to enterprise organization and knowledge management, are 13% more likely to manage plant floor data initiatives at the corporate level and are 26% more likely to give executive decision makers plant floor visibility. These characteristics of Best in Class business capabilities are the foundation for the following recommendations.