150 may be the magic number for social circles and factory headcount, according to Gore-Tex models. …
… “Things ran better this way, Gore realized.
In smaller factories, Dunbar says, everybody knew who was who.
Who was the manager, who was the accountant, who made the sandwiches for lunch.” …
via NPR: You Only Have 150 Friends.
Cisco targets an improved customer experience with faster enterprise decision making through streamlined sales, services and engineering organizations. Cisco Services will adopt an organizational model based on customer segmentation. Gary Moore, executive vice president and chief operating officer, continues as leader of the services organization, in addition to his duties as COO. Cisco Engineering adopts an organizational model based on functional excellence with senior vice president Pankaj Patel and senior vice president Padmasree Warrior as co-leaders. Cisco will govern its growth strategies with three cross-functional Councils to strengthen the connection between strategy and execution. …
… “Worldwide Field Operations will now be organized into three geographic regions, to drive faster decision making with greater accountability and alignment.
These regions include the Americas U.S., Canada, and Latin America; Europe, Middle East and Africa; and Asia Pacific/Japan/Greater China. While the business will continue to be primarily managed by geographic regions, the organization will continue its focus on key customer segments and partners, with dedicated teams for Enterprise including large enterprise, public sector, commercial and small businesses, Service Provider, and Cisco Partners.
Executive vice president Robert Lloyd will continue to lead the worldwide field operations and sales organization.” …
via Cisco: Streamlined Operating Model.
Bayer CEO perspective values lean organizational model for accelerated governance processes. …
… “I want Bayer to have a lean structure so that we can concentrate on the important things and speed up decision-making within the company. And I aim to create a balance between the attainment of short-term objectives and long-term alignment. “ …
via Bayer: Address by Dr. Marijn Dekkers.
Linamar embraces kaizen techniques to position the company for future growth and success. …
… “Linamar also began retooling some its management practices. The company followed the lead of Toyota and embraced Kaizen, the Japanese practice of incrementally improving a manufacturing system through suggestions from employees at all levels of the organization.
Changes such as reorganizing workers into teams, and restructuring the flow of production … “ …
via Business Review, Canada: Linamar Corp.
Six Sigma exec will be embracing change as Caterpillar shifts its leadership structure. …
… “The world’s largest maker of earth-moving equipment said that among the executives leaving on June 1 will be Jim Waters, the vice president of its Production Center of Excellence Division.” …
via Reuters: Caterpillar changes structure.
University of Minnesota professor, Roger Schroeder, publishes Six Sigma: Definition and Underlying Theory paper that focuses on its success as a quality management process. …
… “Parallel-meso structures: Six Sigma operates as a parallel organization, which is the organizational structure dedicated to improving the organization, but incorporates both micro and macro level decision making authority that allows multilevel integration of strategic projects. Strategic Project Selection: Six Sigma organizations develop formal mechanisms to select Six Sigma projects. These mechanisms, sometimes called project hoppers, involve senior management to filter out Six Sigma projects that do not have financial or strategic implications. ” …
Via University of Minnesota: In-depth analysis of Six Sigma phenomenon
Toyota uses kaizen techniques to coordinate continuous improvement across its motorsports teams. The teams have confronted major challenges with this mindset. The knowledge of new race teams is leveraged across the organization. …
… “Kaizen, a Japanese term commonly translated as continuous improvement, has been the ethos for Toyota’s Motorsports operation. The way kaizen is achieved by the various teams in all three levels of NASCAR racing is by working together as one as much as possible. ” …
Via FOX Sports: NASCAR
Toyota uses kaizen techniques to coordinate continuous improvement across its motorsports teams. The teams have confronted major challenges with this mindset. The knowledge of new race teams is leveraged across the organization. …
… “Kaizen, a Japanese term commonly translated as continuous improvement, has been the ethos for Toyota’s Motorsports operation. The way kaizen is achieved by the various teams in all three levels of NASCAR racing is by working together as one as much as possible. ” …
Via FOX Sports: NASCAR
Total quality management requires a rethinking of the organization. The workforce should be enabled through training and mentoring. Roles should be defined to monitor quality in the process. And, the organization should understand how the customer values quality. …
… “Put simply, Total Quality Management (TQM) is the process of instilling quality throughout an organisation and its business processes. ” …
Via Economic Times: Quality management
Quality needs to be repositioned in a Six Sigma culture and organization model. Quality leader(s) can create a strategic view of quality in the business. The quality team has a role in operations to ensure focus on those variables that are critical to quality from a customer perspective. Don’t ignore the opportunity to rethink the quality organization as Six Sigma is implemented. …
… “Strategic quality work begins with an understanding of where the company and its products fit in the marketplace. The vice president of quality or the quality manager must join top management in setting the strategic direction of the company. ” …
Via Qualilty Mag: Quality Evolution
IBM deploys lean into its enterprise, which results in some pruning of the organization. …
… “IBM, however, confirms that Lean is simply a Six Sigma business practices effort that has nothing to do with layoffs. Lean is a collection of Six Sigma business processes used by a number of leading companies to improve speed, quality and responsiveness to customers … ” …
Via The Register: IBM Redefines With Lean
Leadership team includes position on organizational effectiveness, building on an foundation of lean six sigma. …
… “Sean Andersen, as the Leader of Organizational Effectiveness Practices, will be responsible for leading Lean Six Sigma process improvements spanning operations, technology, and implementation. ” …
Via Global Services: Organizationl Effectiveness
Companies are well-served by investing in their talent – recruiting, retaining, and aligning to enterprise initiatives. …
… “At AEP, when a new approach is being introduced, such as lean manufacturing, everyone in the facility has some level of training to have a company-wide knowledge base. ” …
Via Connecticut Business Journal: Create Employee Connection to Your Organization
