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Bridging the Gap Between Technology & the Organization
Technology can be implemented smoothly, efficiently, on-schedule and within budget. Technology implementations can be sources of increased teamwork, cross-functional understanding and the development of a collaborative organization culture. Such implementations, while rare triumphs in most organizations, can become commonplace.
This paper examines the ten immutable Bridging The Gap “rules” that make it possible for technological solutions to optimally contribute to organizational excellence and profits. These rules and the explanations that accompany them are the distillation of “best practices” in technology implementation across all industries. They represent basic, non-negotiable truths about project management, technology change, social dynamics, human behavior and leadership.
Office Kaizen
This white paper describes the Office Kaizen approach to systematically creating a culture of effective communication, proactive issue resolution, waste elimination, and continuous improvement. While the paper describes Office Kaizen as a structured initiative, the objective of a successful Office Kaizen implementation is an installation of the structure and behaviors required to sustain continuous improvement.
WIn-Lean® Manufacturing
Lean manufacturing has become synonymous with world-class operational excellence. Under various names (Lean, synchronous, pull, demand flow, flexible, cellular, just-in-time, one-by-one), Lean is the single most powerful strategy for improving a production operation's competitiveness.
This White Paper is directed at organizations that are either eager Lean practitioners or those who have not yet had a Lean awakening in their organization. Both will find value in its explanation of the foundations and basic mechanics of Lean.
Creating Lean Leaders
The key element in transforming an organization from traditional to Lean is leadership. Lean organizations are not just traditionally run organizations that operate more effectively than in the past. They are radically different in structure, methods and day-to-day management. The dramatic transformation from traditional to Lean, even if done in a deliberate, planned manner, requires transformational leadership at all levels, from office to shop floor, to executive suite.
This white paper briefly reprises the “what” of Lean and outlines the “how” of Lean from the perspective of leadership. In short, this paper argues that Lean leaders are made through focused, rigorous classroom training and the hands-on application of Lean tools and techniques.
Defining World-Class Practices
This paper outlines some of the limitations of benchmarking as it is often practiced, and describes the Survey of World-Class Practices (SWCP) methodology. The SWCP uses well-defined, intuitive descriptors of world-class performance and capabilities. It enables leaders from every functional area within an organization to look inward and compare their organization's performance to known standards, while saving the time and money that would be consumed by traditional benchmarking studies. Most importantly, the process of applying the SWCP helps create consensus and alignment among leaders.
Integrated Product Development
Properly implemented, Integrated Product Development (IPD) is a formidable competitive weapon. IPD creates better products faster and at lower cost. Despite these advantages, most organizations have been slow (at best) to implement a full-scale IPD approach as their standard product / service design and development methodology. At the same time, many of these same organizations are vigorously pursuing Lean Manufacturing ( just-in-time , synchronous , flexible , pull , kaizen , etc.) in order to reduce material and labor costs. This is like closing the barn door after most of the livestock have fled.
IPD is not a discrete tool or system. This White Paper reviews the basic fundamentals of IPD and its philosophy of work and people that employs a set of best practices and methods.
Integrating Lean and Six Sigma
This white paper teaches readers how to properly integrate and apply the best of both methodologies.
Lean Six Sigma
The final comment was made by the COO: "Why aren't we seeing the financial benefits of all these improvements?"
Modifying Organizations for Improved Performance
Everybody in business knows that “organizations are important.” Every executive who has ever given a speech has solemnly intoned that his / her organization is variously striving to be more effective, progressive, productive, dynamic, and most popular of all in the last few years, “a learning organization.” And why wouldn’t such a desire be universal? All endeavors other than sole proprietorships are conducted by organizations. All other things being equal, an organization possessing the above executive wish list of qualities is bound to be more effective than one of its less fortunate brethren. Given this truism, one would suppose that organizations of all types would be aggressively and successfully working to improve their overall effectiveness as an organization. Alas, such is not the case.
This white paper discusses the elements of organization change (including a look at the ALPS Model) and the mechanisms that both challenge and enable such changes.
*NEW* Reducing Maintenance Costs - A Manageable Journey
The evolution to maintenance excellence in any organization is dynamic. It involves implementing new methods and advancing technologies, as well as instilling into the organization the skills required to learn and effectively use them. Today, we see some companies keeping pace, and many who are falling behind. What separates the leaders from the laggards?
*NEW* Turning SOX Section 404 Into a Competitive Advantage
When building materials manufacturer XYZ Co. set out to
restructure its internal controls to comply with Section 404
of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, Kaufman Global was engaged
to lead the process. By focusing not just on the controls, but
on streamlining the processes and business operations to
which they applied, XYZ Co. and Kaufman Global were able
to implement significant improvements and efficiencies,
saving more than 200,000 hours of labor in the process.
**NEW** The Carrot Story
A thought-provoking parable, The Carrot Story takes a light-hearted approach to its message of why initiatives often fail in organizations.
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