Yearly Archives: 2008

Toyota’s Commitment

Posted on March 8, 2008 by John Hunter

From Toyota’s blog, Living Up to Our Commitment We’ve received reports that on a small number of model-year 1995 to 2000 Tacomas, excessive corrosion of the frame has caused perforation of the metal. The reason for this, it appears, is … Continue reading →

Posted in Customer focus, Management, Toyota Production System (TPS) | Tagged blogs, cars, Customer focus, Deming, management, Toyota, Toyota Production System (TPS) | 4 Comments

Inside Honda’s Brain

Posted on March 7, 2008 by John Hunter

Inside Honda’s brain by Alex Taylor III why is Honda playing with robots? Or, for that matter, airplanes? Honda is building a factory in North Carolina to manufacture the Hondajet, a sporty twin-engine runabout that carries six passengers. Or solar … Continue reading →

Posted in Innovation, Management, Science | Tagged Asia, cars, engineering, Innovation, Japan, research | 1 Comment

Systemic Workplace Experiments

Posted on March 6, 2008 by John Hunter

Workplace Experiments At our company-wide get together last December we decided that 2008 was going to be a year of workplace experiments. Among other things, we discussed how we could make 37signals one of the best places in the world … Continue reading →

Posted in Creativity, Deming, Management, Psychology, Respect, Software Development, Systems thinking | Tagged Deming, Education, experiments, management, Software Development, workplace improvement | 1 Comment

Quotas are Not the Answer

Posted on March 5, 2008 by John Hunter

Rich Sharpe posted to his blog on his recent reading of Dr. Deming – The American Who Taught the Japanese About Quality by Rafael Aguayo in Lean Programming and Dr. Deming. And he posted a response he received from Rafael … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Deming, Management, Systems thinking | Tagged Deming. targets, Psychology, Systems thinking | Comments Off

Management Advice from Warren Buffet

Posted on March 4, 2008 by John Hunter

As usual, Warren Buffett’s letter to shareholders is packed with wisdom. He is best know for his investing genius but his writing provides great thoughts for managers also: Berkshire Hathaway 2007 Letter to Shareholders: We will soon purchase 60% of … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Investing, Management | Tagged economy, Investing, Warren Buffett | 1 Comment

Stupid Bureaucratic Requirement

Posted on March 3, 2008 by John Hunter

Quaker teacher fired for changing loyalty oath California State University East Bay has fired a math teacher after six weeks on the job because she inserted the word “nonviolently” in her state-required Oath of Allegiance form. … “I don’t think … Continue reading →

Posted in Management, Public Sector | Tagged aim, government | Comments Off

Lean Manufacturing Saving Jobs Again

Posted on March 2, 2008 by John Hunter

Lean manufacturing saving jobs Keiper Automotive has slashed more than $2 million in costs and saved 100 jobs from layoff — all by reducing waste. Bob Cook, plant manager at the Scanlan Street auto parts manufacturer, hosted a lean manufacturing … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Lean thinking, Management, Systems thinking, UK | Tagged jobs, open access, UK | 1 Comment

Management Improvement Carnival #30

Posted on February 29, 2008 by John Hunter

Please submit your favorite management posts to the carnival. Read the previous management carnivals. How not to improve a process – “It is not enough to think you know what’s right for the process, if you don’t understand how the … Continue reading →

Posted in Carnival, Management | Tagged Carnival, Deming, IT, lean management, management tools, one piece flow, Toyota | Comments Off

Customers Get Dissed and Tell

Posted on February 28, 2008 by John Hunter

There are those rare companies where interacting with them is not a dreaded experience: Trader Joe’s, Southwest Airlines, Ritz Carlton, Crutchfield, Cannon, Groovix. There are not many. And even just providing something that just works is seen as a treat. … Continue reading →

Posted in Customer focus, Deming, Management, Psychology | Tagged bad service, blogs, Customer focus, Deming, inspection, internet, overpaid executives, Psychology, Systems thinking | 7 Comments

Lean Six Sigma Case Studies

Posted on February 27, 2008 by John Hunter

ValuMetrix Services provides some really nice lean six sigma case studies. Simple short but still with enough detail to actually provide some sense of what is going on. While on the topic of online case studies let me plug the … Continue reading →

Posted in curiouscat.com, Health care, Lean thinking, Management, Quality tools, Toyota Production System (TPS) | Tagged lean, management tools, online resources, Six sigma | 1 Comment