This week, I’ve been reading and listening to a lot of articles about working conditions at the Foxconn facilities in China. These stories are primarily focused on Apple, but nearly any computer, gadget, or mobile device is made there, ranging…
As I wrote about after his death, I am appreciative of the products and services that Steve Jobs brought to the world. That said, some of his behavior, as reported in the biography written by Walter Isaacson (the simply titled…
On Friday, there was yet another Wall Street Journal article about Lean (fixating as they always do on the “Just In Time” component). The article titled “For Lean Factories, No Buffer” yet again takes an outdated 1980s view that Lean…
OK, so I’ll admit I had a case of “rabbit ears” when I took the WSJ to task for calling the doomed BP Deepwater Horizon rig a “lean” operation. They were using the colloquial everyday use of “lean,” a term…
In an era where it was a “no brainer” to move factories to China, chasing cheap labor, the Lean world has often spoken out loudly against this. Back in the day, people said “Nobody ever got fired for choosing IBM,”…
Yesterday was iPad debut day – the new product was in stores and was supposed to arrive to those who pre-ordered it via UPS. UPS… on a Saturday? Doesn’t that cost a shipper (Apple) more for Saturday? I wonder why…
U.S. industry going lean to compete with China | Reuters Yesterday, I recorded a podcast with Jim D’Addario, CEO of the namesake multi-generational family company that was featured recently on CNN. I’ll release that podcast in a few weeks. We…
IndustryWeek : Eye On China Interesting story here in IndustryWeek, generally talking about the state of manufacturing in China, but turning its eye to Lean: When it comes to the current state of Chinese manufacturing efficiency, David Hemmings, president and…
Stung by Soaring Transport Costs, Factories Bring Jobs Home Again – WSJ.com Lean thinkers have long advocated the benefits of having a shorter supply chain — faster response, keeping jobs at home, being close to the customer, and better quality.…
I’ve often done posts titled “A Lean Guy Reads the WSJ” — I would create a link to them, but I’m currently suffering a bit of an internet glitch (can anyone help?) I’m in the UK, but my hotel’s internet…
The Challenge From China – WSJ.com: The above linked article is pretty wide-ranging, written by a political guy, mostly about the growing military threat from China. He dabbles a bit in long-term (China) vs. short-term (U.S.) thinking… how China’s economic…
AFP: Costs driving US manufacturing firms out of China: AmCham “Forcing” is a strange word to use. It’s really a business choice, one way or another. Chasing cheap labor… that’s a choice. Chasing it to the next state or country…
