Many companies balk at the idea of implementing ethical supply chain management (SCM), as they only think of increased operating costs. Despite how much executing ethical SCM may affect the bottom line, companies should not immediately reject the idea without doing some research. For example, a recent survey by Software Advice, a supply chain management […]
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Why Lean Initiatives Fail in a Company
Note from the Editor: This is the first of a series of articles written by Charles Intrieri related to Lean Initiatives. In the next article, Charles will review Kaizen, Kanban, and Lean Six Sigma, along with the benefits of implementing a Lean culture. You can read his other articles here. * * * * Lean initiatives are thought of as the use […]
Lean Inventory Management: Using Lean Initiatives to Manage Inventory
More firms are implementing lean inventory management techniques to reduce costs, improve flexibility and have more time to focus on their customers. Lean supply chain and inventory management enable Small Medium Businesses (SMB) to improve efficiency and increase profits. As firms look to reduce waste, increase turns and be more flexible with their inventory, management […]
Supply Chain Management: Building Process Efficiency with Your Supplier
In order to achieve success with your outsourced manufactured goods, there must be cohesiveness between the manufacturer, Supplier, and the product developer, Customer. This would require a recognized leader with an ability to understand the challenges representing both entities. In an ideal setting, the Project Manager (PM) would have a place at the table with […]
Introduction to Strategy Development and Strategy Execution
A successful business requires both a well developed strategy and the ability to execute on that strategy. Strategy without execution is merely theory. Many companies develop robust strategies, but fail at operationalizing their strategies into implementable steps. In this article, we will provide overviews for 12 business frameworks related to various aspects of Strategy Development […]
“I’m Sure It Was Here Yesterday!” – Problems with Inventory Counts
Maybe it was the latest cycle count, the picking errors report, the reorganization of the warehouse, or the procurement staff that brought it to your attention. But you’ve got less of what you thought you had and more of what you didn’t think you had. Drives the purchasing people crazy. The first thing you do? […]
The Ultimate Reference Guide for Consultants
The majority of documents available on Flevy are produced by seasoned consultants and consulting firms. Many of these documents were produced FOR consultants, as well. Below, we have listed a number of must-have references for anyone working in management consulting–and, in particular, those who run their own boutique firms. They are roughly grouped into common […]
Effectively Controlling Your Business’s Costs? 5 Frameworks on Cost Management
Managing and reducing costs is a critical for any organization’s survival. It’s a prerequisite for staying competitive. Below are 5 frameworks used by management consulting firms specializing in Cost Management. They cover initiatives that range from department-specific to enterprise-wide. Cost Reduction Opportunities (across Value Chain) https://flevy.com/browse/business-document/cost-reduction-204 This document identifies 45 cost reduction initiatives across the […]
4 Must-have Process Improvement Frameworks
Process improvement is a critical part of improving operations in any organization–and in any function. By identifying those processes that are in most need of improvement, we can significantly increase the speed at which a company operates and greatly reduce its costs. Inefficient operations is a condition that affects all size companies–though, in particular, larger […]
13 Modules to Maximize Performance Improvement and Cost Reduction
Lance Latham is an executive with expertise in Operations Management and Process Improvement. Regardless of company size or business arena, Lance consistently demonstrated that the same management methods that raise output quality, increase productivity and efficiency, and drive down operational costs in one environment are equally effective when applied in another. He’s a developed a […]
Achieve Operational Excellence – Gemba, Lean, Kaizen
Operational Excellence is an element of organizational leadership that stresses the application of a variety of principles, systems, and tools toward the sustainable improvement of key performance metrics. Much of this management philosophy is based on earlier continuous improvement methodologies, such as Gemba Walk, Lean Manufacturing, and Kaizen. The focus of Operational Excellence goes beyond […]
