Excellence Can Only Come From The Source
18 February 2010
More years ago than I care to admit I became a plant manager at the ripe age of 29 with a mandate to fix a serious safety problem. I worked at it nigh…
If Not ROI, Then What?
17 February 2010
After years of trashing Return On Investment - the DuPont ROI model, in particular - as a measure of manufacturing success, or as the decision making…
How Did Cows and Dirt Get So Sexy?
16 February 2010
So I'm reading this story over on CNN about a new corporate structure called an L3C that basically allows charities and foundations to plow their…
Apria - Your Nose is Growing
10 February 2010
The Apria Healthcare company ... Laid off 105 people California in June, along with 30 more in Illinois and Maryland due to "Medicare cuts"…
Learn from the Right Mistakes
9 February 2010
Akio Toyoda wrote an OpEd piece in the Washington Post offering up his mea culpas and outlining his plan for resolving Toyota's quality challenges…
Score Another One For the Good Guys
7 February 2010
by BILL WADDELL Someone said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over again and expecting different results. Try telling that to the…
Just How Low Has Toyota Sunk?
2 February 2010
by BILL WADDELL Looks like Kevin might have been a bit premature when he gave Toyota credit last week for finally pulling the long overdue andon cord…
A New Critical Japanese Lean Term: oushikuso
1 February 2010
Perhaps the best thing that could happen to manufacturing improvement is the debacle that is unfolding at Toyota. It will put to rest so much of the n…