Category Archives: Investing

Danaher Expands Lean Thinking One Acquisition at a Time

Sybron Focuses on Operations Nearly 18 months into becoming part of Danaher Corp., life is different at Sybron Dental Specialties Inc. “Sybron was really a sales and marketing focused organization … and operations (were) part of supporting that,” said Don … Continue reading

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Amazon’s Amazing Achievement

I have mentioned I like the way Amazon, and Jeff Bezos, have been managing in several posts. Recently Amazon has added very strong financial results to that portfolio of things they do well. Amazon earnings announcement: Net sales increased 35% … Continue reading

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Google Exceeded Planned Spending on Personnel

Often people have trouble understanding Dr. Deming’s disapproval of arbitrary numerical targets. What he was trying to prevent is what many see every day, such as managing to quarterly earnings targets. There are several problems with numerical goals but in … Continue reading

Posted in Deming, Google, Investing, Management, Performance Appraisal, Psychology, quote | 3 Comments

Eliminating Quarterly Earnings Guidance

It is good to see more people understand the bad practice of excessive short term focus on quarterly profits. It is also a bit amusing to see the Chamber of Commerce pushing an idea Deming was called unrealistic for pushing. … Continue reading

Posted in Deming, Google, Investing, Management, Systems thinking | 1 Comment

Investors Business Daily on Deming

He Pointed Firms To Quality [the broken link was removed] by Kirk Shinkle: Management responsibility took on an almost moral role for Deming. Failure in business and the resulting unemployment could be blamed almost entirely on leadership. Leaders, he believed, … Continue reading

Posted in Deming, Economics, Investing | Tagged | 1 Comment

Firing Workers Isn’t Fixing Problems

I commented on a post on Evolving Excellence that Jim Jubak is a wall street guy who has good ideas. He has posted another good article: Firing workers isn’t fixing problems [the broken link was removed] Both CEOs, Edward Zander … Continue reading

Posted in Investing, Lean thinking, Management | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Danaher – Lean Thinking

A Dynamo Called Danaher [the broken link was removed] DBS, as it’s called, is a set of management tools borrowed liberally from the famed Toyota Production System. In essence, it requires every employee, from the janitor to the president, to … Continue reading

Posted in Investing, Lean thinking, Management Articles, Manufacturing, Toyota Production System (TPS) | Tagged , | 1 Comment

10 Stocks for 10 Years Update

In April of 2005 I wrote: 10 stocks for 10 years. At that time I also created a fund through Marketocracy. Thus far the portfolio is up 15.8% annually (versus 15.3% for the S&P 500) – see more below… I … Continue reading

Posted in Investing | 1 Comment

Housing and the Economy

Chart of home values from 1890 through 2006 (the chart is a misleading because it crops the lower end at 60 (not 0). The values go from 60-200 (it is an index showing the cost of the standard house in … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, Investing | 2 Comments

Danaher Practicing Lean Thinking

Manufacturer’s Acquisition Strategy Sets It Apart From The Pack [the broken link was removed], Investors Business Daily: “It’s adapted from the Japanese Kaizen system,” Holmstead said. “Kaizen is a way of removing waste and standardizing processes and bringing underperforming or … Continue reading

Posted in Investing, Lean thinking, Management, Management Articles, Manufacturing | Tagged , , | 1 Comment