This is the back story to the book Irrational Institutions. Irrational Institutions is a follow-on to my popular 2018 book, The Triumph of Classical Management Over Lean Management, which meticulously examined the problem of why leaders resist or reject Lean management. It succeeded at … [Read more...] about The Back Story – Irrational Institutions
Understanding the Institution of Leadership
When organizations struggle or fail to produce a Lean transformation (the "effect"), the causes commonly cited include: Lack of management support Leaders not personally engaged Fear of change or failure Poor communication No sense of urgency No training or poor training Middle … [Read more...] about Understanding the Institution of Leadership
Freeish Trade, Economic Nationalism, and Lean
When I worked as a supply chain manager in the mid-1990s, I faced tremendous pressure from company leaders to offshore large chunks of the $106 million in annual spend of the work supplied to us by some 50-plus first-tier manufacturers located in the Connecticut river valley. I resisted that … [Read more...] about Freeish Trade, Economic Nationalism, and Lean