Yearly Archives: 2006

Lean forward

The most substantial success requires building upon the initial efforts. Truly becoming a lean organization is not something that can be done easily or quickly. And it can’t happen unless management stays focused and continues to learn about lean concepts. Continue reading

Posted in Lean thinking, Management, Management Articles | Tagged | Comments Off on Lean forward

Forget Targets

Forget about targets – and decide what really matters by Simon Caulkin: The attraction of targets is their simplicity. But it’s a fatal one. As part of the misguided managerial obsession with quantification, they misapply partial, linear measures to a … Continue reading

Posted in Data, Deming, Management, Management Articles | Comments Off on Forget Targets

UK Lean Electronics Manufacturing

CEO viewpoint: Lean and keen manufacturing [the broken link was removed] by Eamonn Walsh, chairman and technical director of Brainboxes: At Brainboxes we have been manufacturing for 22 years so far and we believe that the way we work will … Continue reading

Posted in Lean thinking, Management Articles, Manufacturing | Comments Off on UK Lean Electronics Manufacturing

Problems Caused by Performance Appraisal

People are increasingly challenging the notion that we just have to live with performance appraisal systems. As usually, I will make my suggestion that chapter 9 of the Leader’s Handbook offers great material on performing without appraisal (and the rest of the book is great too). Continue reading

Posted in Deming, Management, Management Articles, Performance Appraisal | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Lean Construction

Lean Manufacturing in the Construction Industry [the broken link was removed] by Eric Sander: In a radical departure from construction on site, Bensonwood Homes of Walpole, New Hampshire, has begun assembling major wall and floor components of their custom homes … Continue reading

Posted in Innovation, Management Articles, Manufacturing | Tagged | Comments Off on Lean Construction

The Customer Knows Best?

The Customer Knows Best? Better Think Again by Anthony W. Ulwick It’s important to listen to customers – but not follow their words without skepticism. Ask them to design your next product and you’re likely to miss the mark, suggests … Continue reading

Posted in Customer focus, Deming, Innovation, Management, Management Articles | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on The Customer Knows Best?

Hospital Poka Yoke

Hospital Lean: Error Proofing by Mark Graban Some hospitals are making a systemic process change that they hope will prevent this error. They are banning the typical abbreviation for micrograms. They want everyone to use “mcg” for micrograms and “mg” … Continue reading

Posted in Health care, Lean thinking, Management, Quality tools, Systems thinking | Comments Off on Hospital Poka Yoke

Invest for the Long Term

Invest Like a Simpleton [the broken link was removed] by Tim Beyers, fool.com: Ten years ago, Tom Gardner boldly picked 10 stocks to buy and hold for the next decade. … Even with a tough week in which Silicon Graphics … Continue reading

Posted in Investing | Tagged | 1 Comment

Shigeo Shingo’s Influence on TPS

A very interesting article by Art Smalley based on an interview with Mr. Isao Kato: Shigeo Shingo’s Influence on TPS [the broken link was removed]. For those interested in the history of the Toyota Production System this article provides some … Continue reading

Posted in Lean thinking, Management, Management Articles, Toyota Production System (TPS) | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Management: Geeks and Deming

Why Business Needs More Geeks [the broken link was removed] by Robert May: then along came Wall Street. Obsessed with quarterly profit increases and seeing them as disconnected from value creation, Wall Street encouraged businesses to think short-term. The things … Continue reading

Posted in Deming, Innovation, Management, Management Articles | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments