Here are eight questions that my students ask me from time-to-time, along with my answers, which you may be interested in as well: All your degrees are in engineering. How did you get into Lean management? Dilbert cartoons frequently present a stereotype of engineers as those who seek facts, … [Read more...] about Eight Questions I Get From My Students
Motivations and Aspirations
The feedback I have received recently about some of my controversial blog posts (here, here, here, here, and here) have led some people to question my motivations. In particular, accusations about common motivations such as fame or financial gain, and also some weirder motivations. So, let me … [Read more...] about Motivations and Aspirations
Origin Of The Phrase “Kaizen Event”
Where did the phrase "kaizen event" come from? Or, more accurately, who added the word "event" to the word "kaizen?" In Japan, the word "kaizen" is used with no additional modifier. Kaizen means "change for the better." But, the context for "change for the better" is multilateral, meaning change … [Read more...] about Origin Of The Phrase “Kaizen Event”
Influential Research Papers
It seems I am the rare person with years of Lean management experience in industry and who is also a full-time academic that has written dozens of peer-reviewed research papers. I occasionally get asked the question: "Have your published papers have been influential?" You may have heard that half of … [Read more...] about Influential Research Papers
Why Is Lean Important?
A reader of my books recently asked me the following questions: Why is Lean important to an organization? Why should we introduce Lean to an organization with good performance? These are good questions. Most of the writing about Lean focuses on organizations that perform poorly and need to … [Read more...] about Why Is Lean Important?
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions and answers that will help you understand who I am and what I do. Are you a consultant? No. I am a teacher. A teacher helps people acquire knowledge that they can put into practice. Teaching is one of the "helping professions." A consultant is a different type of … [Read more...] about Frequently Asked Questions
Why I Self-Publish
A lot of people ask me: "Why do you self-publish? Wouldn't it be better to have your books published by a big publisher?" They say it would give me greater legitimacy and a broader reach. If one has solid credentials as I do, then there is no need to seek legitimacy. Besides, the only thing … [Read more...] about Why I Self-Publish