Government organizations have always been forced to wrestle with budget, with public officials trying stretch inadequate funds across a slew of projects. In that regard, many such entities are always looking for ways to bolster efficiency, such as running continuous improvement initiatives. The state of Minnesota, in particular the Department of Corrections, has made extensive
Continue reading »There have been dozens of books, videos, seminars and conventions held to educate people across the globe about Lean practices and ideologies. However, there are few better ways of truly coming to terms with Kaizen than actually going to Japan and seeing how the masters themselves implement Lean. There are a variety of benefits that
Continue reading »Lean approaches and techniques are being applied beyond the manufacturing industry that pioneered the practice. Nowadays, any company can use Lean as a means to improve efficiency and reduce waste, regardless of whether they are manufacturers or healthcare professionals. That said, it takes a particular kind of person to oversee the successful launch of a
Continue reading »After years of outsourcing jobs to foreign countries in an effort to save money, many manufacturing companies are beginning to realize that the best way to maximize their bottom lines is by bringing these jobs back to the U.S. As a result, the manufacturing business has been booming as of late, accounting for a significant
Continue reading »Kaizen is a unique set of business philosophies in that it operates from the bottom up, encouraging the establishment of a supportive work culture and the appreciation of employee feedback. As Inc. magazine notes, giving employees control of their work and creating an environment focused around them are two of the best ways to foster
Continue reading »The stereotypical Wall Street corporate executive – the kind of person who would do anything to squeeze another ounce of profit out of his or her company – may not actually be the best leader for a company's bottom line. Despite the fact that hard driving, direct leadership seems to be in vogue among the
Continue reading »Many companies focus on the financial benefits of going Lean – they can accomplish the same tasks in less time, use fewer resources and generally bolster efficiency, which translates into reduced costs. While all of this is true in the healthcare industry, there is another even more important perk to integrating Kaizen: Better patient health.
Continue reading »Kaizen is quickly taking over the business world as a means of potentially improving operations without stretching budgets. Companies across the United States are asking “How do we stay competitive within our limited resources?” and for many of these organizations, Kaizen is the obvious solution. At the same time, businesses are beginning to realize there
Continue reading »The workforce is growing more engaged, which may be as much a byproduct of the improving economy as it is from companies' internal relationship-building initiatives. According to a recent survey from HR consultancy ETS, approximately 87 percent of workers say they are engaged, while 30 percent say they are “highly engaged.” ETS' survey determined engagement
Continue reading »Study after study has shown the same thing: Consumers are growing more eco-conscious, and they are more cognizant of whether the companies they are buying goods from are practicing green habits. While product quality and brand name are still important when it comes to purchasing decisions, so too is a business' track record for how
Continue reading »
