Monthly Archives: March 2006

Lean Aerospace Initiative

Posted on March 31, 2006 by John Hunter

The Lean Aerospace Initiative [the broken link was removed] at MIT has a large number of reports, case studies and articles available online. The Initiative was formally launched as the Lean Aircraft Initiative in 1993 when leaders from the U.S. … Continue reading →

Posted in Lean thinking

Lean, Mean Business Machine

Posted on March 29, 2006 by John Hunter

Lean, mean business machine [the broken link was removed], from New Zealand: But it is wasted effort that is the main focus, Mr Shook says. The lean philosophy is about first making waste visible, then acting on every level in … Continue reading →

Posted in Lean thinking | Tagged ,

What Innovation Means to Tesco

Posted on March 29, 2006 by John Hunter

What innovation means to Tesco [the broken link was removed] by Sir Terry Leahy (Chief Executive of Tesco): Innovators are all around us; innovation is after all just another word for an idea and we can all have those. Businesses … Continue reading →

Posted in Lean thinking, Respect, Systems thinking, UK | Tagged | 1 Comment

What makes Toyota tick?

Posted on March 27, 2006 by John Hunter

Advanced Manufacturing magazine continues the focus on Toyota with a cover article, What Makes Toyota Tick? [the broken link was removed] by Vanessa Chris “Toyota has been coined ‘the most feared automaker in the industry.’” Just a few days ago … Continue reading →

Posted in Lean thinking, Management, Manufacturing, Toyota Production System (TPS) | Tagged

Indian Deming Prize Winner Expanding

Posted on March 27, 2006 by John Hunter

Lucas TVS on Global and Local Expansion Mode A delegation of top officials from leading Japanese industries — mostly comprising Toyota group and its suppliers — had also visited the Lucas TVS’ Chennai plant. The delegation is part of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Deming, India, Management Articles, Manufacturing

Good Customer Service Example

Posted on March 26, 2006 by John Hunter

No More Lean Excuses [the broken link was removed] by Dan Jones I have recently been getting a striking reaction from many senior management audiences. They all agree that products have got vastly better over recent years, but they equally … Continue reading →

Posted in Customer focus, Lean thinking, Management | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Shenandoah National Park Photos

Posted on March 26, 2006 by John Hunter

Shenandoah National Park, Virginia, lies in the Blue Ridge Mountains, a few hours from Washington DC. Skyline Drive runs the length of the park as does the Appalachian Trail. I hiked several trails in October, 2004 and took these pictures. … Continue reading →

Posted in curiouscat.com, Travel photos

Secrets of the World’s Best Companies

Posted on March 23, 2006 by John Hunter

Best-kept secrets of the world’s best companies by Paul Kaihla. Not even the most successful companies in the world are managed by the book. Great management formulas aren’t handed down on stone tablets, or found in the writings or speeches … Continue reading →

Posted in Management | Tagged | 1 Comment

Fear Remains a Toyota Motivator

Posted on March 23, 2006 by John Hunter

First, don’t let the title fool you, this is not an indication Toyota is going against Deming’s obligation of management to “Drive out fear and build trust so that everyone can work effectively”. Deming was talking about driving out the … Continue reading →

Posted in Deming, Lean thinking, Management, Management Articles, Psychology, Toyota Production System (TPS) | Tagged , ,

Lean and Theory of Constraints

Posted on March 22, 2006 by John Hunter

David Anderson’s post, Lean vs. TOC – No Conflict [the broken link was removed], is an excellent addition to the previous post here: Lean Thinking and Management. I demonstrated these ideas recently by taking an updated version of my XIT … Continue reading →

Posted in Lean thinking, Management, Software Development, Theory of Constraints | Tagged , | 1 Comment