Book Description

Here's the quickest and most inexpensive way to learn about thepioneering work of Shigeo Shingo, co-creator (with Taiichi Ohno) ofJust-In-Time. It's an introductory book containing excerpts of five ofhis classic books as well as an excellent introduction by ProfessorRobinson. Learn about quick changeover, mistake-proofing (poka-yoke),non-stock production, and how to apply Shingo's "scientific thinkingmechanism." ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent tutorial guide
This is an excellent tutorial guide to "one-piece flow" concept. For that purpose it is excellent. In its quest for ideological purity, it fails to consider the more difficult (and useful) problem of "optimal lot size", typical real world manufacturing processes. Had the authors put in a short chapter on that issue, I would have given it five stars. ... Read more

Book Description

The stakes are high in international ventures.Success can be lucrative, but only if formidable obstacles are overcome and unexpected expenses are reined in.Taking a unique approach to international project management, International Project Management is a cutting-edge new book that introduces financial control systems to help manage cost and schedule.By skillfully applying these systems, managers uncover potential problems before they become roadblocks, enabling them to make the necessary adjustments to maintain the company?s cost and schedule commitments. ... Read more

Book Description

Ron Ireland was one of the leaders in Wal-Mart’s effort to develop its supply chain processes for collaborative forecasting and replenishment execution using retail links for communicating point-of-sale, forecasts, and inventory information to its suppliers. As a result he helped pioneer the retail industry standard called Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment (CPFR). This collaborative process, which involves sharing information with supply chain partners in real-time, enables substantially improved planning and financial results. Using his extensive knowledge and first-hand experience, Ireland, with Colleen Crum, demonstrates what is necessary to achieve successful win-win trading partner collaborations and describes what companies give up when they don’t collaborate.

Since an effective supply chain collaboration effort requires flexibility when adapting to each partner’s capabilities and the business environment, this book presents a blueprint that you can customize to fit your company’s and your company’s trading partners’ needs to achieve success. Supply Chain Collaboration shows you how to implement CPFR and other best collaborative practices quickly and successfully in almost any organization. Wal-Mart, Procter & Gamble and other highly successful companies are reaping huge competitive benefits from the CPFR process. Learn from the "visionary pioneer" of CPFR how your organization can as well.

Key Features:
• Delineates the steps for developing and implementing a CPFR process that can drive reductions in inventory, logistics costs and cost of goods sold, and increase revenue, profits, and customer satisfaction with minimized risk
• Describes how to effectively integrate trading partner data into the demand planning and sales and operations planning processes and the risks of not doing so
• Discusses how to assess a potential trading partner’s readiness, how to evaluate the effectiveness and financial results of a trading partner relationship, and how to collaborate for continuous improvement
• WAV offers free downloadable CPFR white papers, VICS CPFR roundtable discussion slides, and a CPFR readiness assessment grid — available from the Web Added Value Download Resource Center ... Read more

Book Description

Skill Wars shows how to increase productivity and profits by making investments in human capital development. It addresses the disparity between the available jobs and available workers. By education and training only 20% of all American workers can fit well into our demanding high-tech workplace. How do we train the 80%?

Skill Wars defines the race between advanced technology investment and human resources investment and shows managers how to measure that investment. It introduces a Human Capital Scoreboard of seven new business management/measurement tools including a more accurate calculation of ROI (Return on Investment) for employee performance improvement programs. It also provides case studies of how quality training can deliver on more problem-solving/thinking skills. It has a foreword by Joseph Boyett, author of The Guru Guide and Workplace 2000.

Skill Wars is a "basic workplace performance primer" that presents complex issues in a simple language and format that will move both business leaders and the American public to give their popular support. There are few viable alternatives. Gordon believes that, "Only at great peril can Americans continue to largely ignore the workplace as an important arena that helps structure learning for life."

Addresses the 'hot' topic of increasing worker skill shortages in American business
Offers a Human Capital Scorecard of seven new business management/measurement tools
Very important ROI (return on investment) chapter ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Vital Book for Our Times
America-and the world-face a serious, probably debilitating shortage of skilled workers. Oh, there are plenty of people out there, most of whom want to work. However, if they don't have the skills that are in demand by employers, their work opportunities and career futures are limited. Employers will compete to attract and hold the people with the skills to get the job done. Savvy workers will compete to acquire and market skills that will be in demand and that will make them unique and marketable in the world of work. Many will do well. Other employers and workers will not fare so well, changing the face of employment.

This book addresses a wide range of topics, organized into three sections: Measuring Human Capital Development, Reports from the Firing Line: Improving Productivity and Performance, and Developing People. The content is not directed just toward educators or professionals in the field of training and development. It is more broad-based. As explained by the author in his introduction, "For the business person, "Skill Wars" is a policy book about managing and measuring workplace performance and profit. For the union leader and employee, "Skill Wars" is about employability and personal growth. For parents, "Skill Wars" is about their children's future careers and guaranteed participation in "the American Dream." For politicians and government leaders, "Skill Wars" is a blueprint for what new voters are beginning to demand in every state across America: new laws to create a more knowledgeable workforce. For educators and trainers, "Skill Wars" offers new ideas on how to better collaborate with all these groups and create innovative, diverse curricula, whether in a schoolroom or the corporate classroom."

Ninety figures illustrate the book, accompanying the text to illuminate the concepts delivered on page after page by Edward Gordon, PhD, a consultant specializing in human/intellectual capital for over two decades. His teaching experience at DePaul, Loyola, and Northwestern Universities complement his work as a consultant, writer, and speaker. Gordon certainly has the credibility and background to write this important book.

You will bob your head up and down in agreement as you read this book. You'll also shake your head in disbelief and amazement as you realize how far behind we are-how much remains to be done. Gordon cites the numbers, concentrating on the ROI: the Return on Investment in building skills and capacity. The research has been done on this book, as evidenced by the number of footnotes offering bibliographical references. The pages are packed with information.

The final chapter, Investing in Human Capital: A Blueprint for the 21st Century, is particularly powerful . . . and should be carefully considered by everyone in a position to help build the skill base that will be needed. And that's all of us. Gordon warns that "The gap between the so-called 'knowledge workers' and low skilled workers is widening at an alarming rate." Why is the gap growing? "Because too many businesses are engaged in an act of financial levitation, trying to make bigger and bigger stacks of money from companies that are barely growing. Their magic act centers on cost-cutting, squeezing staffs, slashing training, eliminating everything except their 'core business operations.' The predominant American management philosophy of the 1990s has been that business exists only to drive up stock prices and enrich shareholders."

As we've seen in recent months, this strategy has been damaging, to say the least. More sensitive employers are creating life-work balanced environments, demonstrating stewardship for the world around us, and taking other steps to correct and improve our corporate society. "Skill Wars" should stimulate more serious efforts to build workforce competencies or all the other efforts will be smoke-and-mirrors and façade.

More people need to read this book. Now.

Everybody's In The Skill War!
This book is about a key topic--how do you get and keep the people you need to grow? It is a solid read for leaders whose companies must compete for the best people. The book is a primer on how to compete for talent--one of the toughest jobs a company has to face. It is an easy read--probably good for someone to take on their next plane trip. Highly recommend! ... Read more

Book Description

Effective operations management lies at the heart of almost every successful organization—from the research and development that goes into creating new products, to information systems that improve productivity and reduce lead-time. Whether your future career is in marketing, accounting, engineering, or information systems, you'll find the knowledge, tools, and practical advice you need to implement successful operations management right here in OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT: CONCEPTS, METHODS, AND STRATEGIES. ... Read more

Book Description

Written by Microsoft® insiders, this concise guide leads you step by step through key project management stages, explores multiple ways to tailor Project '98 to your specific use and explains how to effectively manage multiple projects. Combining job-tested project management strategies and the full features of Microsoft® Project '98 this unique resource helps you schedule and manage every project on time and within budget. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

This book needs an extra chapter.
I think this book is ok if you are already familar with the task bar and menu. I use other microsoft office applications and understood some of the feautres that are similar. However the author assumes you know ALL the commands in the task bar and menu. I didn't know where some of the buttons and commands are that are unique to this applications. This book didn't cover the menu of project 98 clearly enough for those who have never used the application.

Good Reference for the Average User
One of the challenges of using Project 98 is figuring out all the bells and whistles...and there are a TON of them. If you're a project manager and have a lot of detailed reporting to do, multilevel project information to status and many, many resources to take care of, you'll be using all of those features. However, most users of Project 98 don't need to know how to do *EVERYTHING* but would like to do more than show just a Gantt chart. This book will show you, in a clear, concise manner, how to do what you need to do, and how to use the most helpful features of Project 98. I attended a 3 day seminar on Project 98, and the course outline pretty much followed the chapters in this book! If you don't want to take the time or spend the money to attend a seminar, then buy and read this book: it'll get you up and running pretty quickly.

Excellent!
As a corporate instructor, I teach Ms Project 98 to business professionals, who have a wide background in project management experience and computer skills. Out of all the other books on the market about MS Project 98, when asked about references I always suggest this book as my number one recommendation. Why? It explains project management, when applies it to the tool, MS Project. It is well written, concise, and thoroughly covers the topics. If you are a project manager or administrative support needing to learn MS Project 98 quickly and effectively, this book is for you. Enjoy! ... Read more

Book Description

With detailed scenarios, imaginative illustrations, and step-by-step instructions, consultant Norman L. Kerth guides readers through productive, painless retrospectives of project performance.

Whether your shop calls them postmortems or postpartums or something else, project retrospectives offer organizations a formal method for preserving the valuable lessons learned from the successes and failures of every project. These lessons and the measurements they yield foster stronger teams and savings on subsequent efforts.

For a retrospective to be effective and successful, though, it needs to be safe. Kerth shows facilitators and participants how to defeat the fear of retribution and establish an air of mutual trust. One tool is Kerth's Prime Directive: Regardless of what we discover, we must understand and truly believe that everyone did the best job he or she could, given what was known at the time, his or her skills and abilities, the resources available, and the situation at hand.

Applying years of experience as a project retrospective facilitator for software organizations, Kerth reveals his secrets for managing the sensitive, often emotionally charged issues that arise as teams relive and learn from each project.

Don't move on to your next project without consulting and using this readable, practical handbook. Each member of your team will be better prepared for the next deadline. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

A very practical "how to" book
Project Retrospectives by Norm Kerth places an entirely new light on how to effectively and safely reflect on a recent project and not only learn from successes and mistakes, but to become a more solid project team for the next project.
The things I liked about the book: First, Project Retrospectives covers the topic completely in a very concise and readable way. You will find everything you need to know in this book in how to get started, how to be or find a facilitator, how to plan the retrospective, how to conduct the sessions - including a generous number of effective exercises, how to sell the concept of retrospectives to management and how to apply the lessons learned in an organization.

Second, I like the way that Kerth dealt openly and honestly with real world issues that surround project activities such as retrospectives that are often seen by management as "extras." Kerth treats this topic with integrity and basically advises that if you can't do the retrospective right, don't do it at all - or at least wait until you can do it right. I never had to try to separate theory from practice as I read the book - it was all practical.

Finally, I enjoyed the clear train of thought throughout the book, along with specific examples and case studies. I never had to wonder where Kerth was going with a thought.

It is time that we as software professionals make a ritual of reflecting on what we do and how effective we have been. In a profession where we try all too often to apply a single solution to many problems, the activity of project retrospectives can be a major force to improve the overall quality of projects. I highly recommend Project Retrospectives to project managers, consultants, QA analysts or anyone else wishing to be an agent of change in their organizations for higher software project quality.

Enlightening and comprehensive
Anybody thinking seriously about management should work on introducing retrospectives in their organizations. Without a retrospective, a large body of knowledge in which the organization has already invested throughout the project goes down the drain. Project Retrospectives covers the background material you need to know to understand the mechanics, provides a comprehensive set of exercises for leading a retrospective or a postmortem, and tells you how to become a skilled facilitator.

The first part of the book explains the need for ritual, how to tailor a retrospective to various situations, how to make a business case for having a retrospective, and how prepare for it. The case study Norm presents in the second chapter (Anatomy of a Retrospective) provides a holistic picture of the things to follow. The third and fourth chapters tell you how to tailor retrospectives to particular projects (Engineering a Retrospective: Making Choices) and how to talk groups who are interested in improving their processes into having a retrospective (Selling a Retrospective). These are important topics which determine if the people will be given the opportunity to learn from their own experience, and how to focus on the things that will make the retrospective effective. Chapter 5 (Preparing for a Retrospective) covers the groundwork required to have the facts and information for the retrospective, from initiating contact with the managers to arriving at the site. Finally, Chapter 6 discusses a wide array of exercises for the retrospective. Norm presents each exercise in a way that makes it easy to decide whether it is appropriate for a particular project. The pattern includes (among others): Purpose, When to use, Duration, Procedure, Background and theory, and References for further reading.

The second part of the book discusses postmortems, a special case of retrospectives. Postmortems correspond to failed projects. In Chapter 7 (Leading a Postmortem) Norm explains the differences between postmortems and retrospectives, and how to transform the failed-project experience into a learning opportunity. Chapter 8 (Postmortem Exercises) provides exercises designed to handle various circumstances typical of failed projects. In Chapter 9 (On Becoming a Skilled Retrospective Facilitator) Norm shares six lessons learned "through the school of hard knocks," and discusses several procedures that good facilitators should keep in their back pocket. Finally, Chapter 10 (After the Retrospective) explains what to do with the information that surfaces during the retrospective.

Norm has sprinkled the entire book with True Stories. They complement nicely the material and provide additional insight into how retrospectives work and what you should expect. I've also enjoyed the annotated bibliography at the end of each chapter; without Norm's summary the chances of my reading Sharon Loeschen's "The Magic of Satir" were slim. Finally, the book's illustrations are funny and to the point.

I've used Norm Kerth's Project Retrospectives in my Software Project Management class. My students have learned important lessons from it. I trust that once they become managers, they will keep the learning process going through wrapping up their projects with retrospectives.

A down-to-earth and highly accessible guide
Norman L. Kerth is a professional with twenty years' experience in leading project retrospectives. In Project Retrospectives: A Handbook For Team Reviews, Kerth draws upon his extensive body of experience and expertise to crate an excellent and thoroughly "reader friendly" guidebook showcasing the process of reviewing, and revealing how to learn from the successes and failures of completed business projects. Case studies, preparing for a retrospective, leading a postmortem, and the skills for best learning and sharing knowledge gained from past ventures fill the pages of this down-to-earth and highly accessible guide which is especially recommended to those charged with the responsibility of improving corporate departmental and project team performances.

Understand your project
Project Retrospectives is a must have for anyone who wants(or needs)to understand what happened on their last project. If you plan to conduct a retrospective, the book will show you how with exercises to use with your group. Even if you do not run formal retrospectives, the techniques in this book will help you get a more candid view of how things on your project work.

Good reference
This book is intended as a manual for software developers intending to hold a project retrospective at the end of a large project. A retrospective is a little like a post-mortem. Much is learned during the course of a large project, and a project retrospective is a way to preserve that knowledge for use in later projects.

A retrospective is different than a post-mortem in that a post-mortem sometimes implies that the project was a failure. Kerth makes it clear that as long as knowledge is gained from mistakes made, and that steps are taken to avoid the repetition of those mistakes, then no mistake is a total failure.

Much of what Kerth writes about involves the tools and techniques of a facilitator. A facilitator is something like a psychotherapist for project teams. The facilitator's purpose is to get the members of the team, who sometimes do not work closely together either out of circumstance or preference, to share their opinions and observations about different aspects of the project in a non-threatening way.

A facilitator must be an excellent communicator and should not offer his or her own opinion, only help others to express their own. In Kerth's opinion, much of what makes a project successful involves interpersonal communication and through a project retrospective a facilitator can help a project team improve their communication skills.

I felt that the book offered some excellent suggestions. In particular, I liked Kerth's suggestions for illustrating to management of the value of a project retrospective. He provides an excellent checklist for preparing a proposal to management.

I also liked his suggestions for demonstrating to project teammembers the value of failure. One suggestion is to have everyone watch a movie that involves project management, such as Kerth's favorite, Flight of the Phoenix. Another of Kerth's suggestions is to discuss the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger. Kerth suggests pointing out how the fact that four of the five books written on the explosion are oriented toward children shows how our culture shuns failure, and then discussing how analyzing the causes of the explosion helped NASA prevent similar accidents in the future.

The book is intended for those intent on performing in-depth project retrospectives or project post-mortems. Much of the book consists of specific tips and techniques for those facilitating retrospectives. If I have a criticism of the book it is that much of the book is at a very practical level and that too little time is spent discussing how to make use of information garnered from project retrospectives in future projects. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Hits the nail on the head . . .
Much of what is written about project management misses the whole point. When managing a "project", you are simply managing people. All the metrics and project management software in the world will not make a successful project. It's the efforts, motivation and skill of the people involved that yield success. Mr. Murch's project management approach begins with people - understanding the necessary skills for the PM, clearly defining project team roles, devoting an entire chapter to team motivation and retention, exploring ways to involve and empower end users. The metrics and methodologies are presented as well, with case studies that clarify and emphasize important points. The book also covers the tricky topics of problem management, risk management and crisis management. I also found the sections on configuration management and release management beneficial. This is project management presented by someone who's lived it in the trenches and truly has "best practices" to share with other professionals and students of the field.

Clarity, Style and Knowledge - Excellent Book
Whether you are an experienced project manager, a novice or someone who manages project managers,this book is for you. It is also a book for senior management and CIO/CTO's particularly. Almost all in IT department can gain from this book. BUY IT and READ IT.

Breaking down the practice of project management into easy to learn steps, Mr. Murch take you through the basics of project management. Each section is methodically thought out and presented well. The writing style is excellent, clear, easy to read and understand, more importantly it stays with you.

There is an excellent section of the software development lifecycle (SDLC) which is full of best practices and excellent advice for any reader. This is unusual, as my many other books on project management do not address thus important issue, KUDOS Mr. Murch and thank you~!

Once you understand the basic principles of managing a project (any project!) and lay out the steps defined, it is easy to bring your projects under control. This book belongs in your library. As with any good reference book, you'll find yourself referring back to it over time.

Highly Recommended
This well written book with incisive text and the author expresses a sense of excitement and optimism about IT Project Management that pervades throughout. The book is broad in its coverage but hits the bulls eye for content,accuracy and quality. The book is particularly strong in the first parts which includes an excellent chapter on the History of Project Management and team building and retention practices.

In section two there is a detailed description of a Software Development Project Lifecycle and well-illustrated description of the tasks and milestones, deliverables. The sections on techniques is well balanced and highly informative with Chapters on Rapid Application Development (RAD),Risk management and others.

This is an important new book in the highly competitive field of Project Management and it comes highly recommended.

Too general ... no case studies, examples, best practices
Book provides very general high level overview of PM. It does not get into details such as case studies, examples or best practices, documentation etc. You can read the same information on the web freely.

>>>> Best Practices on Every Page
Best Practices on Every Page

This is an excellent well-written, concise and extraordinary value book. As a IT professional with over 25 years project management experience I have been looking for a complete guide to PM - and now I have found it. The book leads the reader through the phases, issues, techniques and best practices in the industry. I shall be using it for teaching PM best practices in my corporation from now on as well as recommending it to other managers.

It is an exceptional well produced book, with well-illustrated diagrams and explanations where appropriate. It has clarity and style - unlike many PM books. I was also surprised to find a FREE class questions and answers available from the publishers in a separate volume.

Clearly Murch knows his craft and what makes good ( and bad ) project management. I would encourage Murch to write another follow-on book in the same style and quality that deals with advanced IT PM techniques. For a book like that is clearly needed in the IT industry.

Must recommend this book for all interested in PM, IT professionals and end users, seniro IT management and students

Thank you, ... Read more

Book Description

The stakes are high in international ventures.Success can be lucrative, but only if formidable obstacles are overcome and unexpected expenses are reined in.Taking a unique approach to international project management, International Project Management is a cutting-edge new book that introduces financial control systems to help manage cost and schedule.By skillfully applying these systems, managers uncover potential problems before they become roadblocks, enabling them to make the necessary adjustments to maintain the company?s cost and schedule commitments. ... Read more

Book Description

Service line management is a prevalent and profitable strategy in the corporate world. How can you make this proven approach work for your healthcare organization?

In Service Line Success, thought leader Preston Gee clarifies the service line management approach, and outlines how to apply the model within the unique constraints of the healthcare environment. A pioneer of service line strategy in healthcare, Gee provides insight and experience on using this model to meet new market demands-including the rise in specialty hospitals and physician centers.

A step-by-step guide to service line success

Gee provides eight essential rules to help you prioritize and organize the tasks involved in establishing the service line model. These steps will take you from defining the lines to assessing market position to developing appropriate business plans. Each progressive step helps you focus organization efforts on the service segments that are critical to long-term success. ... Read more

Book Description

Currently one of the best-selling strategy texts for advanced undergraduates and MBA students, Contemporary Strategy Analysis has gained widespread recognition for its rigorous approach to business strategy analysis. Contemporary Strategy Analysis introduces students to the fundamental concepts and principles of strategy. The text reflects current academic thinking and management practice, and gives students the tools they need to formulate and implement strategies in order to enhance the performance of the organizations that they join. Now in its fourth edition, this exciting text has been thoroughly revised and updated.

Special features of the fourth edition include: increased coverage of value creation in electronic commerce and the strategy implications of information technologya new section on the "New Economy" and what it means for competition and profitthe incorporation of recent contributions to strategy theory and strategy practice including: - the creation and development of organizational capability

- winner-takes-all markets

- network externalities and competition for standards

- complexity and self-organization

- strategic innovationthe relating of analytical frameworks to their real-world business applicationsrevised figures and applications, making the book even more user-friendly for both instructors and students. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Great business dictionary
Well to be honest I always had a hard time getting through the piles of books during business school. But this "brick" opened my eyes and I actually ended up reading it out of pure pleasure. If you are remotely interested in business you should get this. It sums up many of the conclusions made by the great economists. Get one - and save yourself the cost of 10 others.

Great Business Tool
I got this book as part of my MBA studies in the UK.The whole course on Strategy leverages this book as a reader throughout and it is truly a wonderful collection tools, techniques and models for the student and business manager alike.

A must have for people involved in defining and setting strategy

too much focus on old cases and manufacturing.
Book can do better and be more relevant if it uses more recent examples of companies that have succeeded especially in the IT world.

good read !

too much focus on old cases and manufacturing.
Book can do better and be more relevant if it uses more recent examples of companies that have succeeded especially in the IT world.

good read !

Economists approach but Porter is better
I bought this book because I was hoping it would provide me with good guidance in terms of how to use analysis techniques that would support my strategy consulting work. It has a heavy economists' leaning. This is both good and bad. It is good in that it gives some tried and true ways of understanding contemporary strategy. It is bad in that it misses out on the many ways and means by which non-economists understand contemporary strategy and is very thick in terms of its descriptions. It is not a "how to" book, that is for sure. Since competition today often seems to defy economic logic, this economic approach can only go so far. And there is still no better economist's approach than Professor Michael Porter's materials and this book certainly adds little to that great body of work. ... Read more

Book Description

Solutions for growing beyond mere management into a truly accomplished project leader

In today's high-performance, competitive environment, the importance of project success has never been more critical or the failure rate more pronounced. Project Leadership provides a step-by-step program for transforming by-the-book project managers into true leaders who are capable of helping their team members plan, execute, and sustain consistent project success­­even in an environment of relentless pressure, continuous innovation, and unforeseen change.

Author and project management icon James P. Lewis has created a hands-on blueprint for building a focused project team, forging it into a strong unit, and going beyond the principles of management to effectively lead it to success. Drawing on Lewis's exhaustive knowledge of project management and current best practices in leadership, Project Leadership discusses:

• How to use state-of-the-art technologies to ensure project management success
• Proven leadership principles, and ways to both understand and adopt them
• Case studies of best-practices project leadership in action

Reviews (1)

Great book on leadership principles
I found James Lewis's book very fast reading and very focused on the various attributes of leadership skills.

He points out crisp methodolgies for adapting and understanding proven leadership principles. For anyone moving into the role of a project manager, I recommend Lewis's book as you'll learn the skills for how best to match the right person [with the right skill set] to a particular task, tips on building rapport with teams either internal or external, and how to obtain credibility with your team. ... Read more

Book Description

Skill Wars shows how to increase productivity and profits by making investments in human capital development. It addresses the disparity between the available jobs and available workers. By education and training only 20% of all American workers can fit well into our demanding high-tech workplace. How do we train the 80%?

Skill Wars defines the race between advanced technology investment and human resources investment and shows managers how to measure that investment. It introduces a Human Capital Scoreboard of seven new business management/measurement tools including a more accurate calculation of ROI (Return on Investment) for employee performance improvement programs. It also provides case studies of how quality training can deliver on more problem-solving/thinking skills. It has a foreword by Joseph Boyett, author of The Guru Guide and Workplace 2000.

Skill Wars is a "basic workplace performance primer" that presents complex issues in a simple language and format that will move both business leaders and the American public to give their popular support. There are few viable alternatives. Gordon believes that, "Only at great peril can Americans continue to largely ignore the workplace as an important arena that helps structure learning for life."

Addresses the 'hot' topic of increasing worker skill shortages in American business
Offers a Human Capital Scorecard of seven new business management/measurement tools
Very important ROI (return on investment) chapter ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Vital Book for Our Times
America-and the world-face a serious, probably debilitating shortage of skilled workers. Oh, there are plenty of people out there, most of whom want to work. However, if they don't have the skills that are in demand by employers, their work opportunities and career futures are limited. Employers will compete to attract and hold the people with the skills to get the job done. Savvy workers will compete to acquire and market skills that will be in demand and that will make them unique and marketable in the world of work. Many will do well. Other employers and workers will not fare so well, changing the face of employment.

This book addresses a wide range of topics, organized into three sections: Measuring Human Capital Development, Reports from the Firing Line: Improving Productivity and Performance, and Developing People. The content is not directed just toward educators or professionals in the field of training and development. It is more broad-based. As explained by the author in his introduction, "For the business person, "Skill Wars" is a policy book about managing and measuring workplace performance and profit. For the union leader and employee, "Skill Wars" is about employability and personal growth. For parents, "Skill Wars" is about their children's future careers and guaranteed participation in "the American Dream." For politicians and government leaders, "Skill Wars" is a blueprint for what new voters are beginning to demand in every state across America: new laws to create a more knowledgeable workforce. For educators and trainers, "Skill Wars" offers new ideas on how to better collaborate with all these groups and create innovative, diverse curricula, whether in a schoolroom or the corporate classroom."

Ninety figures illustrate the book, accompanying the text to illuminate the concepts delivered on page after page by Edward Gordon, PhD, a consultant specializing in human/intellectual capital for over two decades. His teaching experience at DePaul, Loyola, and Northwestern Universities complement his work as a consultant, writer, and speaker. Gordon certainly has the credibility and background to write this important book.

You will bob your head up and down in agreement as you read this book. You'll also shake your head in disbelief and amazement as you realize how far behind we are-how much remains to be done. Gordon cites the numbers, concentrating on the ROI: the Return on Investment in building skills and capacity. The research has been done on this book, as evidenced by the number of footnotes offering bibliographical references. The pages are packed with information.

The final chapter, Investing in Human Capital: A Blueprint for the 21st Century, is particularly powerful . . . and should be carefully considered by everyone in a position to help build the skill base that will be needed. And that's all of us. Gordon warns that "The gap between the so-called 'knowledge workers' and low skilled workers is widening at an alarming rate." Why is the gap growing? "Because too many businesses are engaged in an act of financial levitation, trying to make bigger and bigger stacks of money from companies that are barely growing. Their magic act centers on cost-cutting, squeezing staffs, slashing training, eliminating everything except their 'core business operations.' The predominant American management philosophy of the 1990s has been that business exists only to drive up stock prices and enrich shareholders."

As we've seen in recent months, this strategy has been damaging, to say the least. More sensitive employers are creating life-work balanced environments, demonstrating stewardship for the world around us, and taking other steps to correct and improve our corporate society. "Skill Wars" should stimulate more serious efforts to build workforce competencies or all the other efforts will be smoke-and-mirrors and façade.

More people need to read this book. Now.

Everybody's In The Skill War!
This book is about a key topic--how do you get and keep the people you need to grow? It is a solid read for leaders whose companies must compete for the best people. The book is a primer on how to compete for talent--one of the toughest jobs a company has to face. It is an easy read--probably good for someone to take on their next plane trip. Highly recommend! ... Read more

Book Description

Effective operations management lies at the heart of almost every successful organization—from the research and development that goes into creating new products, to information systems that improve productivity and reduce lead-time. Whether your future career is in marketing, accounting, engineering, or information systems, you'll find the knowledge, tools, and practical advice you need to implement successful operations management right here in OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT: CONCEPTS, METHODS, AND STRATEGIES. ... Read more

Book Description

Praise for the First Edition of MASTER SCHEDULING.

"Master scheduling, the complex integration of all management planning activities, is presented in John Prouds effective style. A tremendously broad undertaking, [this book] is sensitive to the need of the practitioner to know how and the executive to know why." – Richard Pugliese, Executive (Retired) Monitor Labs Systech, Xerox Corporation

"The master scheduling techniques explained in this book form the best approach for cost effectively replacing the communication links that are often lost in the current environment of reduced people resources. Master Scheduling is the single best resource for these business solutions." – Michael L. Bales, consultant with Oliver Wight Americas; former vice president, manufacturing, G&W Electric

"Provides both education for the uninitiated and practical reference material for the practitioner. It is a valuable resource for any enterprise." – Tim Ewen, Vice President Supply Chain Management, Applied Magnetics Corporation

"John Proud helps the reader to understand the application of master scheduling principles and describes what works in great detail. Master Scheduling will become the text for any course on master scheduling and the standard resource for all manufacturing companies. . . ." – Richard C. Ling, President Richard C. Ling, Inc.

In todays competitive, fast-paced world of manufacturing, every aspect of a companys operation must be highly responsive to a customers needs. Master scheduling, when used in conjunction with Enterprise Resource Planning, is an essential planning tool that helps manufacturing companies synchronize their production with actual market demand.

In this expanded and updated Second Edition of the definitive book on the subject, John F. Proud shows companies how to create and maintain valid and realistic master schedules. Anyone involved in designing and maintaining a companys master schedule will find a wealth of practical, proven advice in Master Scheduling. From sales and marketing to manufacturing, materials management, and engineering, Proud includes important advice for integrating all areas of a company within the framework of an effective master schedule.

In every chapter of this edition, Proud introduces important new material to ensure complete and up-to-date coverage of this constantly evolving field. Two entirely new chapters covering the process industry and manufacturing at multiple sites–domestically and internationally–have been added.

The new chapter covering the process industry identifies where the master scheduling mechanics and management issues are similar to intermittent manufacturing, as well as different. The supply management chapter deals with managing an enterprises internal supply chain. Numerous short case studies are also included to illustrate important topics.

Packed with helpful checklists, examples, and illustrations, Master Scheduling delivers easy-to-follow guidelines for implementing and managing a world- class master schedule. Proud shows managers how to avoid the most common problems while consistently maximizing the accuracy and performance of the master schedule. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Fairly comprehensive and EZ to understand
One of few 600-pages book that is easy to understand, and a "pleasure" to read. The book is well organized, and fairly comprehensive. I was a novice in manufacturing concepts and this book helped me gain significant understanding of manufacturing planning concepts. The only subject that is lacking is a brief chapter on modern supply chain planning software packages that have become essential tools these days. The book is very expensive, but IMHO it's worth every penny if you're trying to learn about the subject.

Comprehensive and wonderfully written.
John F. Proud has given us the definitive text on master scheduling. He has turned what should be a dry subject into 500+ pages that are thorough, enlightening, and suprisingly readable.

Contents include the mechanics of master scheduling, managing the MPS in various manufacturing environments (make-to-stock, make-to-order, etc.), planning bills, finishing schedules, capacity planning, demand management, and system implementation. Key points are punctuated by a running fictional account of master scheduling in action -- with all the personalities and politics that bear on this essential task.

Proud presents the vast material in a logical and entertaining manner. Detailed computational examples are provided for many of the situations a master scheduler will face. Proud is not afraid to depart from standard APICS language or teachings when appropriate -- but he does clearly identify when he has done so. Perhaps most significant is his exceptional grasp of the human relations and management issues involved. He shows that master scheduling is more than just crunching numbers.

Highly recommended as preparation for the APICS Master Planning exam. ... Read more

Book Description

With detailed scenarios, imaginative illustrations, and step-by-step instructions, consultant Norman L. Kerth guides readers through productive, painless retrospectives of project performance.

Whether your shop calls them postmortems or postpartums or something else, project retrospectives offer organizations a formal method for preserving the valuable lessons learned from the successes and failures of every project. These lessons and the measurements they yield foster stronger teams and savings on subsequent efforts.

For a retrospective to be effective and successful, though, it needs to be safe. Kerth shows facilitators and participants how to defeat the fear of retribution and establish an air of mutual trust. One tool is Kerth's Prime Directive: Regardless of what we discover, we must understand and truly believe that everyone did the best job he or she could, given what was known at the time, his or her skills and abilities, the resources available, and the situation at hand.

Applying years of experience as a project retrospective facilitator for software organizations, Kerth reveals his secrets for managing the sensitive, often emotionally charged issues that arise as teams relive and learn from each project.

Don't move on to your next project without consulting and using this readable, practical handbook. Each member of your team will be better prepared for the next deadline. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

A very practical "how to" book
Project Retrospectives by Norm Kerth places an entirely new light on how to effectively and safely reflect on a recent project and not only learn from successes and mistakes, but to become a more solid project team for the next project.
The things I liked about the book: First, Project Retrospectives covers the topic completely in a very concise and readable way. You will find everything you need to know in this book in how to get started, how to be or find a facilitator, how to plan the retrospective, how to conduct the sessions - including a generous number of effective exercises, how to sell the concept of retrospectives to management and how to apply the lessons learned in an organization.

Second, I like the way that Kerth dealt openly and honestly with real world issues that surround project activities such as retrospectives that are often seen by management as "extras." Kerth treats this topic with integrity and basically advises that if you can't do the retrospective right, don't do it at all - or at least wait until you can do it right. I never had to try to separate theory from practice as I read the book - it was all practical.

Finally, I enjoyed the clear train of thought throughout the book, along with specific examples and case studies. I never had to wonder where Kerth was going with a thought.

It is time that we as software professionals make a ritual of reflecting on what we do and how effective we have been. In a profession where we try all too often to apply a single solution to many problems, the activity of project retrospectives can be a major force to improve the overall quality of projects. I highly recommend Project Retrospectives to project managers, consultants, QA analysts or anyone else wishing to be an agent of change in their organizations for higher software project quality.

Enlightening and comprehensive
Anybody thinking seriously about management should work on introducing retrospectives in their organizations. Without a retrospective, a large body of knowledge in which the organization has already invested throughout the project goes down the drain. Project Retrospectives covers the background material you need to know to understand the mechanics, provides a comprehensive set of exercises for leading a retrospective or a postmortem, and tells you how to become a skilled facilitator.

The first part of the book explains the need for ritual, how to tailor a retrospective to various situations, how to make a business case for having a retrospective, and how prepare for it. The case study Norm presents in the second chapter (Anatomy of a Retrospective) provides a holistic picture of the things to follow. The third and fourth chapters tell you how to tailor retrospectives to particular projects (Engineering a Retrospective: Making Choices) and how to talk groups who are interested in improving their processes into having a retrospective (Selling a Retrospective). These are important topics which determine if the people will be given the opportunity to learn from their own experience, and how to focus on the things that will make the retrospective effective. Chapter 5 (Preparing for a Retrospective) covers the groundwork required to have the facts and information for the retrospective, from initiating contact with the managers to arriving at the site. Finally, Chapter 6 discusses a wide array of exercises for the retrospective. Norm presents each exercise in a way that makes it easy to decide whether it is appropriate for a particular project. The pattern includes (among others): Purpose, When to use, Duration, Procedure, Background and theory, and References for further reading.

The second part of the book discusses postmortems, a special case of retrospectives. Postmortems correspond to failed projects. In Chapter 7 (Leading a Postmortem) Norm explains the differences between postmortems and retrospectives, and how to transform the failed-project experience into a learning opportunity. Chapter 8 (Postmortem Exercises) provides exercises designed to handle various circumstances typical of failed projects. In Chapter 9 (On Becoming a Skilled Retrospective Facilitator) Norm shares six lessons learned "through the school of hard knocks," and discusses several procedures that good facilitators should keep in their back pocket. Finally, Chapter 10 (After the Retrospective) explains what to do with the information that surfaces during the retrospective.

Norm has sprinkled the entire book with True Stories. They complement nicely the material and provide additional insight into how retrospectives work and what you should expect. I've also enjoyed the annotated bibliography at the end of each chapter; without Norm's summary the chances of my reading Sharon Loeschen's "The Magic of Satir" were slim. Finally, the book's illustrations are funny and to the point.

I've used Norm Kerth's Project Retrospectives in my Software Project Management class. My students have learned important lessons from it. I trust that once they become managers, they will keep the learning process going through wrapping up their projects with retrospectives.

A down-to-earth and highly accessible guide
Norman L. Kerth is a professional with twenty years' experience in leading project retrospectives. In Project Retrospectives: A Handbook For Team Reviews, Kerth draws upon his extensive body of experience and expertise to crate an excellent and thoroughly "reader friendly" guidebook showcasing the process of reviewing, and revealing how to learn from the successes and failures of completed business projects. Case studies, preparing for a retrospective, leading a postmortem, and the skills for best learning and sharing knowledge gained from past ventures fill the pages of this down-to-earth and highly accessible guide which is especially recommended to those charged with the responsibility of improving corporate departmental and project team performances.

Understand your project
Project Retrospectives is a must have for anyone who wants(or needs)to understand what happened on their last project. If you plan to conduct a retrospective, the book will show you how with exercises to use with your group. Even if you do not run formal retrospectives, the techniques in this book will help you get a more candid view of how things on your project work.

Good reference
This book is intended as a manual for software developers intending to hold a project retrospective at the end of a large project. A retrospective is a little like a post-mortem. Much is learned during the course of a large project, and a project retrospective is a way to preserve that knowledge for use in later projects.

A retrospective is different than a post-mortem in that a post-mortem sometimes implies that the project was a failure. Kerth makes it clear that as long as knowledge is gained from mistakes made, and that steps are taken to avoid the repetition of those mistakes, then no mistake is a total failure.

Much of what Kerth writes about involves the tools and techniques of a facilitator. A facilitator is something like a psychotherapist for project teams. The facilitator's purpose is to get the members of the team, who sometimes do not work closely together either out of circumstance or preference, to share their opinions and observations about different aspects of the project in a non-threatening way.

A facilitator must be an excellent communicator and should not offer his or her own opinion, only help others to express their own. In Kerth's opinion, much of what makes a project successful involves interpersonal communication and through a project retrospective a facilitator can help a project team improve their communication skills.

I felt that the book offered some excellent suggestions. In particular, I liked Kerth's suggestions for illustrating to management of the value of a project retrospective. He provides an excellent checklist for preparing a proposal to management.

I also liked his suggestions for demonstrating to project teammembers the value of failure. One suggestion is to have everyone watch a movie that involves project management, such as Kerth's favorite, Flight of the Phoenix. Another of Kerth's suggestions is to discuss the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger. Kerth suggests pointing out how the fact that four of the five books written on the explosion are oriented toward children shows how our culture shuns failure, and then discussing how analyzing the causes of the explosion helped NASA prevent similar accidents in the future.

The book is intended for those intent on performing in-depth project retrospectives or project post-mortems. Much of the book consists of specific tips and techniques for those facilitating retrospectives. If I have a criticism of the book it is that much of the book is at a very practical level and that too little time is spent discussing how to make use of information garnered from project retrospectives in future projects. ... Read more

Book Description

Based on his extensive experience Sandras reveals a complete procedure for successfully managing all of the challenges and possible obstacles in an actual implementation. Organizing the implementation team, developing a working Kanban system, restructuring the shop floor, creating efficient connections between suppliers and customers, measuring performance and integrating JIT with TQM are among the issues discussed. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A great introduction to JIT world
This is a great introduction to JIT. It covers main issues as the core knowlodge of this technique as well as the implementation cornerstones. It's an easy to read way to get a handle on this planning and production control. It has also tried to get a compromise with MRP without forgeting currently popular topics as the link to suppliers and customers. As a plus, there are some chapters for problem solving using quality control techniques as storyboards which are actually useful in many others environments and areas.

The book is an excellent guide to JIT implementation.
Just-In-Time:Making It Happen can be an invaluable guide to implementing JIT principles in the manufacturing environment. Although it is not a cookbook, it does provide a comprehensive step-by-step to understanding and implementing a workable JIT process. Perhaps the most valuable contribution of the book is the way it demonstrates that JIT processes can coexist with MRP effectively. Sandras defines those functions that need to be incorporated in the MRP System to most effectively interface with and support JIT. However, he also describes how the MRP System can be manually augmented to allow their coexistence. But what I liked best was the practitioner's understanding of the problems facing the JIT implementer.

Good, mostly based on real life experiences
Gives a very good insight into JIT, making you aware of the zillion things manufacturing companies can (still!!) do to avoid waste. The book, however, does not prepare you for actual implementation. For that to happen, there is nothing to replace being an 'insider' in the manufacturing environment. ... Read more