Recession or boom, companies need to sharpen their competitive edge by applying Lean Management principles to Cost Reduction—that is, the elimination of non-value-added activities or waste in the value stream processes. Be Lean In the Lean Management philosophy, all activities in an organization are grouped into two categories: value-added (VA) activities, and non-value-added (NVA) activities. […]
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14 Principles of Lean Toyota Production System (TPS)
Editor’s Note: Charles Intrieri is a consultant with over 25 years of experience in Operational Excellence, Supply Chain & Logistics, and Metrics-driven Management. He has made available a number of reports and tools related to these areas on Flevy, which can be viewed here. * * * * Lean Management (also known as Lean Manufacturing and […]
4 Effective Ways to Manage Resources More Efficiently
What Is Resource Management? Resource Management is the management discipline of efficiently and effectively deploying and managing resources in order to achieve our organizational goals (e.g. improve revenues, maximize shareholder value, enter a certain market, etc.). Resources can take the form of financial capital, human capital & talent, production resources & raw materials, inventory, technology, […]
Business Process Maturity Model (BPMM) Explained
Unsuccessful software applications cost organizations significant efforts and resources. The reasons for these failed ventures are often attributed to technology issues. However, the real issue is flaws in business processes—the enterprise application deployment environment and the ecosystem which the application targets. This calls for ensuring the organizational readiness before initiating technology deployment. It is for […]
Boosting Operational Efficiency: 8 Best Practices for Optimizing Production Processes
The focus on operational efficiency isn’t new but has become more crucial. Rapid technological advancements and shifts in consumer demand mean that businesses must adapt and optimize faster to stay competitive. While optimization might be daunting for many, the rewards of improved productivity, lower costs, and increased profits make it a worthy investment of time […]
RATER Model
Providing effective customer service necessitates comprehending how the customer’s mind works and what drives their choices or actions. Measuring and improving service quality is crucial for enhancing Customer Satisfaction, Customer Loyalty, and overall business success. This involves collecting customer feedback, analyzing performance metrics, and implementing targeted strategies to enhance Customer Satisfaction and exceed their expectations. […]
Technology Commoditization
Companies, especially technology related ones, used to spend a significant amount of time, effort, and capital to innovate and develop a Competitive Advantage on the basis of their design and engineering. Development of high-tech production and design tools that integrate design and engineering knowledge has simplified the Innovation and Production processes. Consequently, it is now […]
Structured Problem Solving: Modified A3
Solving problems, complex problems at that, involves not only good problem formulation but also a structured approach to complement it. Structured Problem Solving is simply an iterative sequence of framing hypotheses and testing them via controlled experimentation, revamped for the intricacies of the world beyond the laboratory. Structured Problem Solving is a formal, logical, and […]
How Route Optimization Software Increases ROI of Courier Deliveries?
According to a global survey, around 53% of courier companies surveyed stated that the overall productivity rises after adopting route optimization software. Such tools use sophisticated techniques to improvise the delivery operations, save money, and offer clients the high-level service they wish for. Such enhanced customer service boosts the brand’s image and loyalty, providing an edge over […]
Emerging Market Intelligence
How do we acquire quality, actionable Market Intelligence for emerging markets? To make good business decisions, we require good data—i.e. good Market Research & Intelligence. For developed markets, the function of Market Intelligence is mature practice, where data can be reliably obtained. This is the not the case for emerging markets. Many multi-national organizations, when […]
How We Can Align Our Corporate Strategy and Supply Chain Strategy
Most organizations struggle to find a true strategic fit between their Corporate Strategies and their Supply Chain Strategies. For most organizations, they operate within a highly complex and globally interconnected Supply Chain. Aligning Supply Chain solutions to support the organization’s strategies has become increasingly difficult. This has never been more evident than during the COVID-19 […]
Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Reinvention
Majority of pharmaceutical companies are persisting with decade old processes and routines. They have transactional relationships with suppliers, lack of concerted efforts to progress ahead, and no vision to reap productivity rewards. The reasons for continuing with these traditional practices include tax regimes, regulatory hurdles, and stable revenues from customers dependent on existing industry offerings. […]