Is the USA 'Out of the Crisis'? Those that do not learn from history...

[Don Winton]

As long as the Taylor mentality exists, we will be in crisis.....this may be a bit exaggerated, but the basic premise is valid...

It is a bit widespread, eh? Seriously, the reason why: That is what modern managers were, and still are, taught. A bit exaggerated? Not at all. Perhaps understated would be more in order.

…the diseases are as prevalent today as they have ever been.

Agreed. And as long as they are, the Crisis will never be over.

You are right on the point that organizations make money in spite of themselves. Blind to the troubles within.

Blind is correct. Many organizations see a profit and think all is well. Rubbish. That is precisely why the Crisis will never be over. In times of economic good, that is precisely the time to improve, while you have the capitol and manpower to do it. Wait for the bad times, and improvement projects become harder to sell to the higher-ups and more costly to implement. Sadly, mine is a lonely (not alone, thankfully) voice in the wilderness.

I always thought that it was "great minds think alike.”

I am not sure I would include myself in that. :>)

We must be doing something right management says.

Typical linear thinkers. They see the profit, but not the waste. How much more profit could the organization make is their COQ was reduced from 25% of sales to 15% or lower? “There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all.” Peter F. Drucker

Still trying to get them to show me some measures

Try showing them! At one organization, the MRB was a joke. They dispositioned the nonconforming product, but kept no records of the costs or the other impacts (remanufacture to replace, cost of collection and salvage, etc.). After one particularly frustrating session, I began collecting, rather that disposition the product. After a six week collection, I counted and recorded the costs (for six weeks, the cost of JUST the nonconforming product was in excess of $75,000!). The next meeting, I showed up late, literally dumped the contents of the box on the shiny conference table (we were a component manufacturer, so there was a LOT in that box), presented the cost impact report and left. I told them I would attend MRB meetings when they were serious about it. That got the message across.

Just hope we don't fool ourselves.

Too late. American organizations are already fooled into a false euphoria. As far as getting them to listen, I have only one more thing to add:

“Who’s more foolish. The fool, or the one who follows him?” Obi Wan “Ben” Kenobi, Jedi Knight

Regards,
Don

 

[Kevin Mader]

Marc,

I hadn't heard that story yet either. Still, I can hear his voice uttering the words "No problem - no agreement." Classic! Thanks for posting that.

Kevin

 

[Marc]

Almost 4 years later, what's YOUR opinion?

 

[Wes Bucey]

Almost 4 years later, what's YOUR opinion?

Probably well known by regular readers - I echo Deming a lot. Upon reading the "no problem - no agreement" piece I was struck by the sense of what Deming did. He negotiated from the strength of his conviction and was always ready to walk away from the table. He certainly had "NO FEAR." (or at least he didn't let GM see him sweat!)

Back in the Sixties, there were a few maverick sales and marketing types who were trying to help sales folk get more sales by working "smarter, not harder." One of the "great truths" was to "talk to everybody, but only DEAL with decision makers." The effectiveness of the Ford story (only Number 1) demonstrates the great truth was still a great truth.

Thanks for resurrecting the thread, Marc.

 

[Steve Prevette]

I would say as an "entity" the U.S.A. is still in a serious crisis. Perhaps of slightly different symptoms than 25 years ago, but a crisis none the less. With much the same root causes - focus on short term gains at the expense of the system.

And I do believe that the theories in OOC, when applied, are very successful. I can at least personally attest to that.

 

[J Oliphant]

the end of a crisis, maybe another one

I also am a deming fan.

the more aware of the nonsense here at work, the more clear deming's words of warning are.

I see no movement of management towards enlightened action. Always and continuosly $$$ and short term profits terms seems to drag our company down.

unfortunately, it does not appear that other parts of the world will challenge the quality of our product. In this respect, perhaps the 'quality' crisis is over for a time. Another is set to begin IMHO as china and asia, capatilize on their cheap labor. If china /asia,etc can better organize itself, perhaps china will conquer world manufacturing- after all with more infrastructure, they can do anything we can- and I think decades of ignoring important lessons of quality have left us weak.

The question is can china teach itself the fundmental lessons on quality that US corp ignore?

The new frontier and the new hope of quality surely must lie in asia for the US seems to have ignored its many lessons. Until chinese/asian companies can triumph on efficiency and quality- there will be no great managerial interest here in the US about quality, just continuos cost-cutting and market loss. Management is obsessed over $$$ so losing business on price teaches them nothing- except to try to weasel more and more of their factories in asian and 3rd world places.

 

[Don Palmer]

Used The Cove Search Engine for article on 'Change Management'...

I also am a deming fan.

the more aware of the nonsense here at work, the more clear deming's words of warning are.

I see no movement of management towards enlightened action. Always and continuosly $$$ and short term profits terms seems to drag our company down.

unfortunately, it does not appear that other parts of the world will challenge the quality of our product. In this respect, perhaps the 'quality' crisis is over for a time. Another is set to begin IMHO as china and asia, capatilize on their cheap labor. If china /asia,etc can better organize itself, perhaps china will conquer world manufacturing- after all with more infrastructure, they can do anything we can- and I think decades of ignoring important lessons of quality have left us weak.

The question is can china teach itself the fundmental lessons on quality that US corp ignore?

The new frontier and the new hope of quality surely must lie in asia for the US seems to have ignored its many lessons. Until chinese/asian companies can triumph on efficiency and quality- there will be no great managerial interest here in the US about quality, just continuos cost-cutting and market loss. Management is obsessed over $$$ so losing business on price teaches them nothing- except to try to weasel more and more of their factories in asian and 3rd world places.

Used The Cove Search Engine for articles on 'Change Management'...
How ironic...another year will soon pass us by...and yet the majority of comments and observations within this thread still 'ring true'.

 

[Mike S.]

Are we still in a crisis? To what degree? Hmmmm.... Is the glass half-full or is it half-empty. I say its both, silly!

Look, the US has been and is still the world's greatest economic and military superpower. We have technology that boggles the mind. We can put men on the moon, land spacecraft on small rocks streaking through space and get data from them, and see atoms. We have a great deal of freedom. Our country is so great, in so many ways, that people from other countries still risk their very lives to come here. We are among the hardest working people in the world. We are doing something right, and folks who can only see the negative will always annoy me.

But I will also be one of the first to admit that we can, of course, do better. That will always be the case -- we will always fall short of perfection by varying degrees. We should strive to do better, to "continuously improve". I see many companies that are managed so poorly that it amazes me that they can exist at all.

There are several ways, IMO, to get that improvement. Deming's principals are quite good, and I agree with many of them, but I will likely never be a 100% Deming deciple. Anyone who thinks following all his principals 100% is the answer to all ills is welcome to their opinion, but I don't share it. IMO no one person or philosophy is right for every situation -- "one size does not fit all" so to speak.

There are varying degrees of "crisis" and the US (and the rest of the world) will always be in a "crisis" of some magnitude. But a realistic and balanced view is important. Successes always exist as well. Let's not get sucked into a mentality of permanent pessimism or malaise lest it become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

JMHO

 

[ralphsulser]

There are varying degrees of "crisis" and the US (and the rest of the world) will always be in a "crisis" of some magnitude. But a realistic and balanced view is important. Successes always exist as well. Let's not get sucked into a mentality of permanent pessimism or malaise lest it become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

JMHO

This is true and probable if not checked. Remember the "toilet paper shortage" created by Johnny Carson as a joke during all the so called shortages being broadcast constantly in the mid 70's

 

[Mike S.]

Remember the "toilet paper shortage" created by Johnny Carson as a joke during all the so called shortages being broadcast constantly in the mid 70's

Now that would be a crisis! Especially since Sears catalogs are so rare these days...