Ford making deep cuts in 2006 production – Yahoo! News: It’s sad to see factories shut down, temporarily or permanently, but it’s sad that Ford can’t sell enough vehicles to merit the production. Boring products (ala Ford Five Hundred) and…
Here is the second LeanBlog Podcast, featuring author and consultant Norman Bodek, President of PCS Press. The first one can be found here and you can visit the main Podcast page, which includes information on how to subscribe via RSS or…
In the first-ever Lean Blog Podcast, Mark Graban talks with Norm Bodek about quick and easy Kaizen and how it differs from large, event-based improvement efforts. Bodek explains how simple, employee-led improvements–supported by trust, experimentation, and respect for people–can make…
WSJ.com – In China, 3,500 Test the Waters Of the Pearl River I’ve written before about how polluted China’s rivers are, the cost of unbridled factory growth and an unregulated environment. While you might think the article linked to above…
No One Does Lean Like The Japanese – Business Week This article has some nice case study examples of how Matsushita is using lean principles to turn their business around. But, this article compounds some of the usual lean myths.…
I had an “ah-ha!” moment last night. I was reading a book during the NBA Finals (no point really watching closely until the last three minutes) and it struck me: Very often, I beat up on companies and CEO’s for…
Ford’s Swipe At Toyota Sounds “Desperate” So we’ve been reading all year about Mark Fields, who has the best executive mullet (a.ka. “hockey hair“) I’ve seen in some time, and his “Way Forward” plan for saving Ford. From a marketing…
iPod City: Apple criticized for factory conditions There was a fairly shocking story in the Sunday Mail, a London newspaper, about the iPod factory conditions in China. The full text of the article isn’t available online, but I was able…
Working from home today, I ran out during lunch time (actually after lunch time in my effort to help level load area businesses) to the bank. As I entered, I saw this sign. By “ways to serve you better”, I…
Born in Japan made in USA – 05/30/06 – The Detroit News Online: Here is an article about Toyota’s Fujio Cho. I don’t take the view of another blog, which calls Toyota “racist” for having an solely Japanese board. I’m…
Here’s stop #2 on the tour, just having come from the Julia Child “Lean” Kitchen… Still at the National Museum of American History, there is a sign on the wall that talks about a little manufacturing history. The Society for…
Independent Online Edition > Business News Dell has been on the bad side of Wall Street for a while now, the stock is some 30% lower than it was in 1999. I might comment more later on Dell’s troubles, there…
