Going green refers to a number of different variables. For some companies, it implies minimizing paper usage. For others, it means video conferencing instead of driving or flying to business meetings. These are all voluntary steps companies can take to reduce their carbon footprints. On the other end of the spectrum are mandatory regulations that
Continue reading »Every business wants to improve operations for the better. The problem is that the bigger companies become, the more difficult it is for them to identify strategies for upward expansion and growth. This leads to corporations investing thousands of dollars into market research and hiring expensive consultants to guide their improvement. Many times, these consultants
Continue reading »Major companies across the world are looking to go green, and businesses that already have reputations for sustainability are looking to take their environmentally friendly practices one step further. American department store Kohl's, for example, is known for having solar panels on the roof of each location, converting sunlight into the energy that helps power
Continue reading »Ross Memorial Hospital, a healthcare organization based out of Ontario, Canada, had a problem. While it was effectively managing both high- and low-risk patients in the emergency room, those with mid-level injuries (such as bone fractures, kidney stones and serious cuts) tended to wait longer for care. For any healthcare agency, delivering high-quality, fast care
Continue reading »Companies work hard to create favorable working environments for their employees. They may provide access to personal gyms, install “summer hours” during July and August and offer paid vacation days off throughout the year to ensure their workers remain happy and satisfied. However, according to new research from Gallup, none of these perks are as
Continue reading »ETM Manufacturing, a sheet metal producer, has used Lean practices and concepts to improve internal operations and product quality since 2009. Now, the company is looking to test Lean in a broader sense by applying it to the extended supply chain. One strategy the company hopes to apply is the improvement of workflow. In a
Continue reading »Art Byrne is a CEO with whom many people in the world of manufacturing are familiar. Over the past few decades, Byrne has worked with 30 companies in 14 different countries and has helped them transform into successful organizations. Perhaps the best example of Byrne's impact is Wiremold. In the 1990s, the company's earnings had
Continue reading »Technology has grown increasingly common in modern work environments. At the very least, there are any number of personal computers and laptops that businesses use for communication and other work-related purposes. At some companies, employees may get complimentary smartphones or are provided with tablets to use for presentations or on business trips. This broader availability
Continue reading »There is a common misconception that running Lean, sustainable operations is more costly than managing a wasteful business. However, as Forbes notes, the fact of the matter is that if sustainability costs a company more money, then the people running the organization are doing it wrong, plain and simple. For many companies, Lean and sustainable
Continue reading »ThedaCare, a community health system based in Wisconsin, faced the same challenges that other organizations in the sector have encountered in recent years – new regulations, an influx of new patients, aging patients who require more care and rising costs, among others. To deal with the situation, ThedaCare opted to turn to Lean healthcare. For
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