An novel recipe that embodies a higher level description than currently used in the industry is described. The novel recipe is referred to herein as an "advanced recipe." A traditional recipe consists of a general set of instructions called a 'recipe' which is used to make a product. An advanced recipe integrates the intent behind these set of instructions. A novel knowledge management system for capturing, integrating, and using broad knowledge is also described below. Some embodiments of the knowledge management system enable modification of recipes for maximizing the overall processing objectives. An example embodiment of the knowledge management system comprises a Knowledge Builder, a Structured Knowledge Repository, and a Decision Maker.