The chemical industry has developed a poor reputation for being environmentally unfriendly. Ask anyone what they think about the sector's impact on the environment, and thoughts of hazardous wastes being dumped outdoors are likely to come to mind. The industry is aware of that preconception and is now trying to mend it. Key players in
Continue reading »A government-run healthcare program based in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan has made a big investment in helping local hospitals and practices make the switch to Lean healthcare. The province recently inked a $38 million contract with Kaizen consultants to assist in Lean integration over the next four years. Government officials have wanted to overhaul
Continue reading »Software development is a complex task, with some technology giants running operations that involve thousands of employees. Long gone are the days when a handful of engineers could churn out a piece of software. Solutions nowadays take dozens of different teams to ensure everything is working effectively. As such, many technology giants have wrestled with
Continue reading »Successful businesses have always set the bar for those trying to achieve the same level of prosperity. Companies will often take what others have done and imitate it in hopes of reaping the same rewards. You see this all the time in the consumer electronics industry, with companies such as Apple creating innovative products and
Continue reading »Employee retention has been newly prioritized among many employers. During the recession, few companies were hiring, so employees were more or less rooted. As the economy continues to improve, so too do job opportunities. That means if workers don't feel valued, they may begin to look for greener pastures. Fortunately for businesses, there are myriad
Continue reading »The creation of modules and other content is only one part of designing an effective online training course – equally important is how training is delivered or conducted. It doesn't matter how well the course is designed, if companies can't set the right mood, trainees will have difficulty concentrating and completing the curriculum. When executing
Continue reading »When sustainability is first brought up, many businesses express concerns about productivity and financials. Some executives are still under the impression that sustainable practices may translate into greater financial costs, such as more expensive materials, subsequent steps to prevent waste or more time-consuming practices. However, new data from the University of California at Los Angeles
Continue reading »When businesses are trying to integrate Kaizen mindsets and philosophies, it's common practice to appoint Lean leaders – people who will lead the companies in the transition to becoming more efficient. It's up to these people to try and bring their colleagues on board by helping them to understand the meaning of Lean and how
Continue reading »At a time when finances are tough and many companies are striving for efficiency, employee engagement has become especially prevalent. Many businesses no longer have the ability to offer regular pay raises and other benefits because they simply don't have the required resources. One way they are trying to make up for that is by
Continue reading »In today's economic climate, so many companies are looking to cut waste from their operations. This is particularly the case with manufacturers, as there are typically a number of ways processes can be streamlined to reduce waste and maximize efficiency. Value Stream Mapping (VSM) is one such technique that businesses can use to envision and
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