Change Management

Should Manufacturers Embrace Unlimited Vacations? 5 Rule-Breaking Tips

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 15:40:00 +0000

John Mills, executive vice president of business development, Rideau Recognition Solutions

Rewards will follow a program that keeps employees fresh and the line humming.

Research says that workers who enjoy regular breaks -- including frequent vacations -- produce better results and stay with their employers longer. Shouldn't manufacturers enjoy the same benefits?

Dr. Deming's Joy at Work, Happiness & the High Performance Organization

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 16:29:00 +0000

Lawrence M. Miller, <a href=http://www.ManagementMeditations.com>www.ManagementMeditations.com</a>

Key factors that lead to a happy life also have direct implications for creating a happy and productive workplace.

Five Questions CEOs Should Ask about their Supply Chain

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 19:55:00 +0000

Brian Nolf and Gerhard Plenert, Wipro Consulting Services

Minimizing supply chain disruptions requires taking a best-in-class approach from the highest levels of the company.

That Guy You Don't Like? Hire Him

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 15:13:00 +0000

David A. Fields, Managing Director, The Ascendant Consortium

Comfort is not king when it comes to choosing a consultant.

There are the guys you dated, the guys you'd never have dated and then there were the guys you took home to meet your parents. (Make gender adjustments to fit your situation.) I've neatly summed up the universe of eligible men you encountered in the handy diagram below. Feel free to use it with your single friends.

Evel Knievel vs. the Executive

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 13:23:00 +0000

David A. Fields, Managing Director, The Ascendant Consortium

An illustrated lesson for company leaders on using consultants.

Remember Evel Knievel? Garbed in the tacky, white leather outfit that only the 1970s could produce, Knievel would launch himself and his Harley-Davidson across obstacle-strewn distances mortals of lesser stuff (or greater sense) wouldn't dream of attempting. Staging his daredevil stunts was an expensive proposition and Knievel was often short on cash but there's one thing I can guarantee he never said: "I'm low on funds, so I'll use some of my crew to hold up the ramp instead of building scaffolding."

2013 IndustryWeek Best Plants Conference Features Continuous Improvement Strategies

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 20:41:00 +0000

Early-bird registration ends Tuesday, February 19; plant tour opportunitties are going fast

The IndustryWeek Best Plant Conference, IW’s annual salute to outstanding North American manufacturing facilities, provides continuous improvement practitioners the opportunity to learn from the best of the best, the winners of the IW Best Plants Award program.

5 Must-Do Resolutions for Every Manufacturer

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 15:20:00 +0000

John Mills, executive vice president of business development, Rideau Recognition Solutions

Some companies will no doubt fail to capitalize on opportunities amid the chaos. Don't let it be you.

Some companies will no doubt fail to capitalize on opportunities amid the chaos. Don’t let it be you.

2012 IW Best Plants Winners: Amazing Efforts, Amazing Achievements

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 19:13:00 +0000

IndustryWeek's 2012 Best Plants winners set high expectations. Their smart and determined efforts mean they deliver.

For the 23rd consecutive year, IndustryWeek is pleased to present its annual salute to manufacturing excellence. The 2012 class of IndustryWeek's Best Plants winners demonstrates that operational excellence continues to prosper in manufacturing -- and manufacturers continue to strive for even greater performances.

New Year Resolution To "Get Smarter"? Here Are 1000+ Links To Help

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 00:27:00 +0000

Looking to increase your skillset and knowledge in Computer Science and Technology, Finance and Economics, Science and Medicine, Mathematics, Social Sciences, Classics, Humanities and/or Law to make yourself more productive in 2013? Look no further than these 1000+ links.

MFG 2.0

The First Question

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 19:34:00 +0000

Ask Not: 'How can we produce better, faster, and cheaper?' Ask: 'Why do we exist?'

Only by periodically asking -- and answering -- with authority the first question does there exist a rational basis for why your company should continue to operate.