Shingijutsu USA held a Super-Genba-Kaizen Workshop at a company in Connecticut last week. It was the same company that I visited several times in 2014 and 2015 where Chihiro Nakao led kaizens and which formed the basis for the book Kaizen Forever: Teachings of Chihiro Nakao. Kaizen Forever, like … [Read more...] about Shingijutsu-WOW
Archives for April 2016
Lean’s Next 25 Years
James P. Womack, founder of the Lean Enterprise Institute, recently gave a very important talk at the 2016 Lean Transformation Summit. View the video or slides of his talk. I'd like to call your attention to slides 11, 12, and 13 - especially number 13. It seems the Lean Enterprise Institute's … [Read more...] about Lean’s Next 25 Years
Lean Transformation Variation
One of the common things I hear with respect to Lean transformation is: "One size does not fit all." Every organization is said to be unique, and so their Lean transformation process must reflect their situation. Even Toyota people say it is so - but, notice, without providing any details. Surely … [Read more...] about Lean Transformation Variation
Employees Goofing Off
One of the criticisms that many people have of Frederick Winslow Taylor is his sometimes negative view of laborers. Often ignored, of course, is his positive view of laborers and their potential to perform at higher levels. Critics also ignore that Taylor was a laborer, supervisor, and manager of … [Read more...] about Employees Goofing Off
Lean Success and Lean Failure
It seems my open letter to the Lean Enterprise Institute created a stir in Lean world. My letter challenged LEI, the recognized global leader of the Lean movement, to understand the root causes of failed Lean transformations and identify practical countermeasures, for the purpose of improving the … [Read more...] about Lean Success and Lean Failure
An Engineering Approach to Leadership
We greatly admire Toyota's production system and their overall management system. But what we don't appreciate is the engineering mindset that created this unique and innovative system of management. We also do not appreciate that this could be a principal reason why the leaders of most … [Read more...] about An Engineering Approach to Leadership
Breathtaking Higher Education Innovation!
Breathtaking Innovation Sure to be Used Throughout Public Higher Education! As you are no doubt well aware, I am internationally recognized for my many teaching innovations in higher education. Now, I can add one more teaching innovation to the already extensive list of "firsts" on my impressively … [Read more...] about Breathtaking Higher Education Innovation!
Is Lean the Same as TPS?
No, at least not to the discriminating eye, as shown in the above image (click on image to enlarge). That does not mean Lean is bad or that one cannot achieve some great things with Lean. But it is important to understand that Lean and TPS are not the same, and therefore the results that are … [Read more...] about Is Lean the Same as TPS?
Improving How Universities Improve
Universities have come under much criticism in recent years from business leaders, political leaders, and the public for being slow to change and improve. There is truth to this because the method used for change is what I call "stick-slip." Stick-slip is a term used in science and engineering that … [Read more...] about Improving How Universities Improve