bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Improving organizational quality by forging the best union‐management relationship
Authors: Cohen‐Rosenthal Edward , Burton Cynthia 
Published: July 2007

AbstractA positive union‐management relationship can be a major driver for organizational improvement. Too often the quality of this relationship is sidestepped or ignored. When establishing total quality or participative management programs in unionized workplaces, organizational management often assumes that the programs will work well, that this will be obvious to everyone, and that, therefore, the union will go along. None of these three assumptions is necessarily true. Just as other important changes in the organization need to be addressed head‐on, so too does the challenge of developing the best possible union‐management relationship while driving the organization toward quality improvement.
Reengineering for simplicity and flexibility at siemens solar industries
Authors: Ardhaldjian R. Paul , Fahner Michael J. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractSimplicity and flexibility are goals that everyone should consider when reengineering a process. They were essential to productivity and quality improvements at Siemens Solar Industries. This case study describes how Siemens combined creativity and some fundamental manufacturing principles in successfully reengineering its circuit assembly process.
The meeting as a lever for organizational improvement
Authors: Johann Bernard 
Published: July 2007

AbstractImagine a company that wants to focus on reducing cycle time but that does not set any action items or assign any due dates during its organizational meetings. How important is time to that company? Is there any relation between what is said and what is done there?.Although managers and executives spend 70 to 80 percent of their time in meetings, this organizational rite has been neglected as a powerful lever for change. This article is not about using colored pens and flip charts; it is about fostering cooperation and teamwork in the arena in which people work together—the meeting. Meetings are windows into organizational culture. By coaching leaders on how to effectively run their meetings, managers can initiate fundamental organizational change.
Applying the theory of constraints' process management technique to an administrative function at stanley furniture
Authors: Spencer Michael S. , Wathen Samuel 
Published: July 2007

AbstractThis article describes the successful application of the five‐step focusing process productivity improvement technique to an administrative function. A component of the theory of constraints, this productivity improvement method has usually been applied in manufacturing settings. The process allows management to identify the critical operations that determine the overall output from both the physical system and the administrative support system. Once identified, bottlenecks are systematically removed, thereby improving the performance of the entire system.
What do you do when your organization isn't ready for TQM?
Authors: Forbes Lincoln H. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractIn today's challenging economic climate, many organizations have come to recognize that improved quality is an essential ingredient for success. Many may want to jump on the total quality management (TQM) bandwagon, but are not ready or willing to invest either the time or the significant resources that a TQM program typically requires. This article discusses strategies for improving quality in that type of environment.
Kaizen leads to breakthroughs in responsiveness—and the shingo prize—at critikon
Authors: Tanner Cheryl , Roncarti Ron 
Published: July 2007

AbstractThe world market share leader in the peripheral intravenous catheter market, Johnson & Johnson Medical's Critikon Vascular Access Facility attributes its latest successes—including a 1994 Shingo Prize—to a management philosophy of continuous improvement through total employee involvement. This case study describes how Critikon launched an aggressive kaizen continuous improvement program to implement cellular just‐in‐time manufacturing principles that led to extraordinary accomplishments in a relatively short period of time.
Recognizing failure factors helps small‐business turnarounds
Authors: Sheldon Dan 
Published: July 2007

AbstractThe chances for a failing small business to survive and prosper are improved when owners and managers follow general turnaround management guidelines and recognize the factors that most contribute to creating their economic crisis. By examining those factors from four perspectives—based on whether they originate inside or outside of the firm and whether the type of required corrective response is predominantly administrative or strategic—small business leaders can collect the information they need to get their firm back on track.
Critical success factors for reengineering business processes
Authors: Leth Steven A. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractReengineering of major business processes is an integral component in the pursuit of continuous improvement. With its emphasis on cross‐functional, top‐down process or system change, the tactic complements total quality management. But even though the results are potentially significant, more reengineering programs fail than succeed. Five factors are critical to the success of a reengineering initiative. This article discusses those factors and offers managers suggestions on how to make sure they get the most from their reengineering efforts.
Using a formula for creativity to yield organizational quality improvement
Authors: Firestien Roger L. , Kumiega Kenneth J. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractCreativity is a strategic business weapon. The companies that will survive and thrive will not be the ones with the deepest pockets, but the ones that can utilize the creativity of their workforce. This article explores a model for unleashing creativity in organizations, illustrates the vital link between quality and creativity, and introduces creative problem solving, a method to help individuals and organizations become deliberately creative. It also illustrates the benefits of successfully applying creative problem solving in organizations and provides recommendations for those who want to embark on any type of change program.
Linking creativity, common vision, and customer connection: Synergy for organizational competitiveness
Authors: Burns Greg , Napier Barbara 
Published: July 2007

AbstractOver the past five years, creativity and innovation have become critical as organizations attempt to stay ahead of the competition. This article discusses the relationships among three critical aspects of organizational climate: creativity, common vision, and customer connection. Actions that leaders can take to improve their organization's climate to make it more creative are also discussed, with special emphases on how to increase the level of customer connection and common vision.
From team building to community building
Authors: Nirenberg John 
Published: July 2007

AbstractAlthough many organizations have become team‐oriented, few are harnessing their full power. When teams become self‐managing, the next logical step is to build workplace community—a truly living organization. Workplace community will unleash the full potential of the workforce and help realize the only lasting competitive advantage: brainpower, imagination, and resourcefulness. this article discusses the process of bow teams can become a workplace community and refers to several companies supporting the effort, ft concludes wilh a summary of the critical aspects required to build workplace community.
The U.S. patent and trademark office: A case study in business process reengineering
Authors: Taylor Susan 
Published: July 2007

AbstractIn spite of Vice President Al Gore's initiative, few federal government agencies have actively embraced the concept of business process reengineering. One notable exception is the Patent and Trademark Office of the Department of Commerce. Already one of the best managed agencies in the federal government, the PTO is revamping the application process for both patents and trademarks and expects to save lens of millions of dollars every year once the redesigned systems are fully implemented.The new processes will take full advantage of electronic technology to achieve huge reductions in labor and printing costs, as well as allow innovative and flexible management techniques such as work‐at‐home programs. Responsibility and authority will be concentrated in fewer employees through job enrichment and restructuring, and the level of service provided to PTO's customers will improve. The redesigned trademark application process also will meet up coming international trademark requirements.
Total quality through speed: Alliedsignal's fast breakthrough
Authors: Parker T. Wood 
Published: July 2007

AbstractIn about one year, AlliedSignal, Inc. increased its net income by almost $1 billion, despite a flagging market for many of its products. In the three years that followed, the multibillion‐dollar manufacturing corporation has consistently achieved aggressive goals for improvements in productivity and a range of other business results. To create this fast sustained breakthrough, AlliedSignal has emphasized cycle lime reduction, introduced and institutionalized by a company wide initiative called Total Quality Through Speed (TQS).Numerous articles have been written about the concept of cycle time reduction. This article, however, describes how AlliedSignal put the concept into practice. It also discusses corporate actions that laid the foundation for rapid productivity improvement and the critical success factors underlying the effectiveness of AlliedSignal's TQS program.
Uncovering implementation problems keeps TQM on track at Iowa's department of employment services
Authors: Spencer Michael S. , Loomba Aruinder P. S. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractMore and more government organizations are implementing Total Quality Management programs. One of the initial steps in doing this is to conduct an organizational assessment of employees' attitudes toward quality‐related principles and practices. Thus, an organization can determine the degree of its quality orientation and uncover opportunities for bolstering interest in and support for quality improvement. This article discusses the quality assessment efforts of a Midwest government agency and examines the challenges it faces in achieving successful TQM implementation.
Military pharmacy looks to TQM to satisfy its customers
Authors: Scheldt Anthony , Amsler Gordon M. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractThis article describes a study of problems with the operation of a military base pharmacy. The investigation was accomplished using statistical quality control and operations management tools, including Pareto analysis, survey techniques, and layout analysis. An analysis of customer complaints showed that the time to fill new prescriptions was the major cause of customer discontent. A process action team (PAT) approach was used to ensure that recommended solutions were compatible with local resources.
Focusing on time and teams to eliminate waste at shingo prize‐winning ford electronics
Authors: Lowry David 
Published: July 2007

AbstractFord Electronics Manufacturing Corporation's Markham, Ontario, plant won the 1994 Shingo Prize for Manufacturing Excellence thanks to a comprehensive waste reduction program begun during the late 1980s. This article outlines the unique approach taken at the plant to implement its program, which concentrated on inventory management, floor space utilization, and employee empowerment.
The corporate ombudsman at work in health care, banking, utility, and transportation firms
Authors: Ziegenfuss James T. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractHow do corporate executives handle internal people problems and encourage the continuing development of their human social system? One tool is the corporate ombudsman.Four organizations with active ombudsmen in four industrial fields (banking, utilities, transportation, and health‐care) were studied as a continuation of research on corporate ombudsmen begun in the 1980s. The results are of interest to all organizations concerned with managing employee disputes and litigation and continuously improving productivity and quality.
Competing based on the customer's hierarchy of needs
Authors: Schaffer Doug 
Published: July 2007

AbstractEven when companies improve their performance, they often have difficulty achieving real competitive advantage. In the face of often astounding operational improvements, most customers just don't seem very excited.The reason? Customers have largely been excluded from improvement efforts to date. For companies to better performance in ways that matter to their customers, they must know why customers buy from them in the first place. And once they do, why they keep coming back. This represents a shifting heirarchy of needs that often escapes the notice of companies trying to gain advantage in today's marketplace. This article outlines the stages of the customer‐supplier relationship and provides guidelines for companies that want to improve their performance in ways that will make their customers sit up and take notice.
Employee‐owned standard operating procedures smooth and regulate production at nature's sunshine
Authors: Shepherd Lit 
Published: July 2007

AbstractMore and more companies are appreciating the value of written standard operating procedures (SOPs) to ensure efficiency and uniformity in a variety of production and service settings. But for those SOPs to be beneficial, they should be designed by the people with the real power to improve daily operations—the people on the shop floor and in the office who do the jobs to be described in the SOPs, day in and day out.This article details how to obtain management and employee support for the SOP process, design and implement this concept, and set performance measures to ensure that objectives are accomplished. It also emphasizes the necessity of documenting SOPs and shows how to test them for quality and effectiveness before and after they are used.
The secrets of successful empowerment
Authors: Story Mark R. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractMany companies today are seeking to empower their workforce for all the right reasons, but they often fail to achieve the results they want. Meanwhile, “how to” seminars, books, and tapes on the subject abound. What does empowerment mean? How does an organization know it has it and what are the tangible benefits to be reaped from it?. This article describes empowerment in action, using a series of illustrations to show what it is and what it is not.
How to strengthen your leadership mettle
Authors: Womack Larry 
Published: July 2007

Abstract… “Bring me only good news!” ordered the sales manager of the marine products wholesaler. When his charges did otherwise, they were blamed for whatever problems they brought before him. Fed up with the sales manager's practice of “killing the messenger,” the company president asked the manager to stop; but he didn't, and no additional corrective action was taken. The sales manager personally controlled over 30 percent of the company's sales. The president was afraid that further retribution for the demoralizing practice might cause the sales manager to take business elsewhere.… In operation for less than a year, the fledgling advertising agency had already won an award for a radio commercial created for its largest account, a chain of auto transmission repair facilities. A salesman from a radio station on which the commercial was regularly aired told the CEO of the agency that there had been numerous complaints that the advertised offer was misleading and unethical. The CEO told the salesman that she'd talk with the client and get to the bottom of the matter. When she confronted the irascible owner of the chain, he told her it was none of her business. He said that her job was to prepare commercials from the information he gave her. Without discussing the matter with her partners, she resigned the account on the spot.
A small amount of empowerment pays off big in a regional bank
Authors: Kappelman Leon A. , Prybutok Victor R. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractAn autocratic management style can demoralize employees and hinder productivity. But for an organization to be successful, there are times when an autocratic approach is necessary. This case study describes how a 700‐branch regional bank provided a small opportunity for employee empowerment during a time of massive organizational change, and how this contributed to the successful implementation of a quality improvement program.
A participatively designed shift system reduces turnover in a glass factory
Authors: Cummings Thomas G. , Kizilos Mark A. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractOrganizations that seek the advantages of 24‐hour operations frequently experience personnel problems related to the demands of shiftwork. Common difficulties include excessive turnover, poor productivity, and increased incidence of industrial accidents. This article describes the experience of a glass company facing high turnover stemming from employee dissatisfaction with shiftwork in one of its continuous operation factories. Designed as a high‐involvement organization, the factory formed an employee task force to analyze the turnover problem and develop recommendations. Once the shift system was identified as a major factor contributing to employee turnover, a team of employees and managers was formed to design a new one. Following the adoption of the new shift system, turnover was reduced significantly. Based on this organization's experience, a general strategy for shift system design is proposed.
Reengineering ryder to meet rising customer expectations
Authors: Riddle J. Ernie 
Published: July 2007

AbstractHow can a company that is in the business of providing transportation and logistics solutions add value to the services it provides its customers? For Ryder System, Inc., the answer was found in process reengineering. This article details Ryder's ongoing reengineering effort, which began with a rethinking of its view of the market and a readjustment of the company's strategic focus. It also discusses the progress made and pitfalls encountered thus far, shedding special insight into the roles of leadership and corporate culture in fundamentally transforming an organization.
Managing a sea of quality information at Ark‐La‐Tex aquatics
Authors: Lin Binshan , Fite Darrell 
Published: July 2007

AbstractWhen it comes to the wholesale distribution of perishable items, timely and accurate information regarding sales, inventories, and warranties is critical. In such a setting, a well‐implemented quality control information system (QCIS) can ensure not only growth, but also survival. This article describes the components of the QCIS at Ark‐La‐Tex Aquatics and how the new system enhanced project teamwork and systems‐level thinking.
How the deming philosophy transformed the department of the navy
Authors: Kidder Pamela J. , Ryan Bobbie 
Published: July 2007

AbstractWhat do government agencies have to do to improve their performance and satisfy the demand of senior executives and the public at large? The U.S. Department of the Navy found success in the principles espoused by the late W. Edwards Deming. As this article explains, the transformation of the Department was built on a sound theory, leadership commitment, clear vision for the future, and a series of successes that inspired other improvements.
A prescription for enhancing productivity at Bristol‐Myers Squibb
Authors: Stewart Robert 
Published: July 2007

AbstractCompanies around the world are taking a hard look at the way they conduct their business to uncover ways to improve both the quality and the quantity of their products and services. Like many of those firms, Bristol‐Myers Squibb has designed a company wide program to help it boost productivity and efficiency by targeting wasteful procedures and cutting costs. But unlike many companies, Bristol‐Myers Squibb has gone a step further and instituted an initiative that reinvests the benefits reaped from enhanced performance to guarantee the organization's success in the future.
The six values of a quality culture
Authors: Woods John A. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractIncreasingly, organizations are discovering that quality management is more about cultural change than it is about any specific practices. The culture and its fundamental values provide the context for behavior at all levels of the organization. But what are the cultural values that support quality management behaviors? This article answers that question by exploring six values that naturally emerge once business leaders learn to view their organization as a system. The culture chat ultimately stems from these values fosters teamwork, continuous improvement, and customer satisfaction, and results in a growing, profitable environment.
A proven recipe for success: The seven elements of world‐class manufacturing
Authors: Kearney Willie T. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractThere are no magic pills or quick solutions to fix what is ailing manufacturing companies at home and abroad. There are, however, practices and tools that can make the smallest to the largest company competitive in the global market. These tools and practices are the seven elements of world‐class manufacturing. By studying these elements, learning them, applying them, and improving on them, the smallest to the largest company can become competitive in the global market.
Want to, asked to, able to: Using targeted strategies to achieve competitive advantage
Authors: Luther David B. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractFor an organization to implement and sustain a successful quality strategy, it must move from the embryonic stage of quality learning through the growing stage and then to the profitable mature stage. Historically, many firms have achieved this through training and the search for variation causes and by Implementing teams to deal with variation and other workplace problems.Today the scene is different. To achieve competitive advantage, organizations must go beyond the “one size fits all” brand of quality Implementation and, instead, focus on the source and level of resistance to such efforts. To understand the barriers they must overcome, organizations must learn if problems exist because people do not wont to improve quality, have not been asked to improve quality, or do not know how to improve quality. Surveying a segmented population regarding these issues leads to a focused approach to removing barriers and moving the organization quickly to the profitable mature stage of quality implementation.
Three simple principles that dramatically boost corporate creatiuity
Authors: Robison Alan G. , Stern Sam 
Published: July 2007

AbstractAlthough creativity is a high priority for almost any organization, at most companies it happens only on a hit‐or‐miss basis. The main reason for this is a general lack of awareness of what really drives corporate creativity. Myths about creativity are commonplace, and managers act on them. This article describes three simple principles of corporate creativity, based on how it actually occurs, that will significantly boost creative performance when they are recognized and acted on: (1) most creative acts are unexpected and cannot be anticipated by management; (2) rewards do more harm than good to creativity; and (3) participation is the key variable by which to manage.
Whatever happened to TQM? or, how a good strategy got a Bad reputation
Authors: Bohan George 
Published: July 2007

AbstractWhy has TQM seemingly become a dirty word among business leaders? As this article explains, many of the organizations that have failed with TQM did so because they relied too heavily on the ideas that leadership must be 100 percent committed to the change strategy and that employees must be empowered fully. Here the author gives practical tips and real‐life examples of how to bring about substantial organizational improvement with TQM‐like strategies, even if an organization cannot obtain full leadership commitment and employee empowerment right away.