In the Lead – WSJ.com Maybe the whole Toyota notion of “respect for people” and developing employees is the real “secret” sauce that companies can’t copy (or refuse to). While not mentioning Toyota, this WSJ article caught my eye this…
Desperate to Cut Costs, Ford Gets Union’s Help – WSJ.com Here’s an example of why you can never be satisfied. A key to Toyota’s success is the mindset that you’re always shooting for perfection (an article with some examples). Here’s…
Coping With Disaster – 1/30/2007 – Manufacturing.Net Here’s another article with the theme of how “just in time” (JIT) is too risky for supply chain purposes. This type of article usually pops up in the WSJ about once a year…
By Dan Markovitz: (Mark’s note: I saw this article and instantly thought of Dan, re: Lean in an office environment. The dynamics in this article reminded me of the typical dynamics in a non-Lean factory, where lots of expediting takes…
Detroit News Article | Jan 4. WSJ Article on Uproar This was in Automotive News, a follow up to this earlier blog post and story about Mark Fields using a private company jet to fly home to Florida each weekend.…
In China, Preventive Medicine Pits Doctor Against System – WSJ.com: Continuing the discussion from Evolving Excellence, today’s WSJ has a well timed article. This isn’t just an American problem…. seems like human nature, this conflict: “Dr. Hu Weimin has attracted…
Why Clean Up Your Desk? Delight in Disorder Instead (WSJ $$)What does a clean desk have to do with 5S? It depends. Do you have your own desk or do you share a workspace with others? Can you find any…
TL;DR: Matching staffing to customer demand can make sense from a Lean perspective — but when scheduling systems create unpredictable hours and treat workers as variable costs, they undermine respect for people and ultimately harm both employees and customers. Wal-Mart…
A few articles in the news today about bad bosses. Hopefully, more than a few have 2007 resolutions to get better. Chances are though, the bad bosses think they are great. If your boss has resolutions for becoming a better…
Here’s what jumped out at me from Friday’s WSJ articles on Alan Mulally: his “war room” and his “first impressions.” (both articles require paid WSJ subscriptions, I believe). The free version of the war room article is here. In the…
WSJ Article ($) | Free Version of Article Thanks to Dan Markovitz for pointing this article out to me a few days ago: At IHI’s patient-safety conference today in Orlando, Fla., Ms. Rutherford is presenting an alternative to ratios: a…
How Financiers Pursue Profit At Skidding Auto-Parts Maker Here’s another article in the WSJ’s “Wow, we still build stuff here” series (my unofficial title). This article talks about how private equity firms (including Wilbur Ross) are putting money into auto…
