Book Description

Over 50 core quality tools and techniques-de-mystified! Now you can master all the core quality methods and statistical procedures-even if you only know high-school math! From poke-yoke to force field analysis, Quality Improvement Tools and Techniques by Peter Mears, lets you exploit the same quality processes the industrial giants do-and achieve the same quality profits. Packed with the seminal thinking of Deming, Crosby, and Juran, it delivers page after page of easy-to-understand: quality tools: pareto, fishbone, scatter and histogram diagrams; pie, control, bar, frequency and radar chars; and the likert scale; quality techniques: plan-do-check-act, kaizen, kanban, SMED, nominal grouping, brainstorming, multi-voting; advanced methods: benchmarking, process ownership, hoshing planning, gap analysis taguchi techniques, customer needs mapping; improvement systems: just-in-time, quality teams, quality councils, Baldrige criteria, learning organization methods, shojinka; plus much more. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Encyclopedia + cookbook
I keep this book nearby because it serves as an encyclopedia of quality techniques that span the full spectrum, as well as a step-by-step guide to using each of the tools listed.

The entire collection of tools contained and described within are put into context in the first chapter that covers the continuous quality improvement story and its five steps - reason, current situation, analysis, action plan and results. Subsequent chapters are devoted to classes of tools: the basics (flow charts, check sheets, facts vs. inference, and how to construct tools such as Pareto diagrams, histograms, and control charts). Supporting tools, covered in the next chapter, include pie and bar charts, frequency charts, Likert scales and related diagrams.

Basic quality improvement techniques given in the next section go beyond just tools, and include vision and mission statements, group interaction techniques, problem classification and concepts. Among the tools are development charts, force-field analysis, checklists.

Advanced techniques, covered in the next chapter address process ownership, and some fairly substantial tools such as quality function deployment and Taguchi techniques, both of which are explained well in a surprising few pages.

The remainder of the book discusses quality improvement systems, such as JIT, ISO standards; and brief bios of Deming, Crosby and Juran and their approaches. Selected readings on various quality standards round out this book's treatment of the subject.

What I like about this book is the way a large number of topics and associated tools are thoroughly covered in a relatively short book. I also like the way you are clearly led through the construction and use of various charts, and how to effectively use tools in a step-by-step manner. This is clearly a useful introduction to quality tools and techniques, as well as a desk reference.

Easy to use...full of good tools
I am just learning about Continuous Improvement and the tools that are available to make that happen in the workplace. Our company is considering implementing a Six Sigma program and this book provides me with a related and large tool set to add to my tool belt. ... Read more

Book Description

An effective and engaging way employees can learn Six Sigma and put its concepts into play

Part of the popular Big Book of Games series, which capitalizes on the proven effective method for workplace training, this first book of training games for Six Sigma ensures that employees will better retain Six Sigma's complex topics.

This invaluable tool offers 50 experiential activities that teach the core improvement approach of Six Sigma, called DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control), as well as many of the popular statistical improvement tools, including Pareto charts and Failure Mode Effects Analysis (FMEA). These games:

• Teach Six Sigma roles and organization
• Gear the team up for success
• Identify problems and generate solutions
• Teach project management
• Help teams understand the need for Six Sigma

Reviews (2)

Clear navigation through confusing standards
This book cuts through the fog and confusion surrounding the three of the four main approaches to software quality (the fourth is Software Process Capability Determination, a.k.a. SPICE).

My goals in reading this book were to find the best framework with which to apply to service delivery, and to integrate this framework into application delivery. Since these terms are ambiguous in the software industry here are my definitions: service delivery encompasses the maintenance, operation and support of applications after they have been released into production. Application delivery is the analysis, design, construction and testing of applications prior to release to production.

This book compared and contrasted each quality approach and provided some surprising facts. For example, until I carefully read this book I was under the impression that the SEI CMM was the most process-oriented approach. As it turns out ISO 9000 (specifically, ISO 9000-3, which addresses software and services) is more heavily oriented towards process. Another surprise was discovering that the SEI CMM places more emphasis on leadership than the Malcolm Baldridge approach. Each of these facts were easy to discover because the author did an excellent job of correlating criteria of each of the approaches and displaying results in graphs and charts.

Prior to reading the book I was confused and frustrated by the competing standards and frameworks. This was exacerbated by the fact that there is a large body of knowledge devoted to each and these bodies comprise thousands of pages of dry material. After reading this book I felt as though I had a grasp of the focus of each approach, and their relative strengths and weaknesses. More importantly, I was able to determine which of the three is best suited to service delivery and its integration with application delivery (the Baldridge approach appears to be the best choice).

I appreciated the author's efforts in clearly outlining the what's and why's behind each approach, and the succinct manner in which each was compared, contrasted and correlated. This is an extremely valuable book for individuals and companies trying to sort through the buzzwords and assumptions on quality frameworks to select one that is most appropriate for their goals and objectives. I strongly recommend this book for software engineering managers, including members of program management offices (PMOs) and software engineering process groups (SEPGs), as well as service delivery professionals (production services, tier 1 and 2 support, etc.).

Interesting reading
Good reading for those who are interested in the field of quality. And would like to learn more. ... Read more

Book Description

Not long ago total quality was just a buzzword.Today, Total Quality is an integral component of management success in today's complex business environment. This text presents an overview of the key principles of total quality and links those concepts to traditional management practices and organizational models in management theory. This book has three objectives:1) to familiarize readers with the basic principles and methods associated with total quality management; 2) to show readers how these principles and methods have been put into effect in a variety of organizations; and, 3) to illustrate the relationship between total quality principles and the theories and models studied in management courses. ... Read more

Book Description

Wouldn't it be great if you could design a product with the customer in mind-right from the very start? Well, now there's a way: Quality Function Development, or QFD, translates the needs of the consumer directly into the design and development of new products and services. By focusing on customer needs and incorporating them into every phase of the manufacturing process, it eliminates waste and improves customer satisfaction. And that means increased sales, greater profits and a bigger share of the market.Step-by-Step QFD is a practical, hands-on guide to implementing QFD at any organization. Written by an expert in the field, it shows how the intensive study of consumer needs can be used to help you dramatically outperform the competition. In fact, the strategies outlined in this book have already met with great success at a number of corporations both within and outside of the United States. This workbook includes a case study of QFD in action, 34 helpful workshops and an analysis of the synergy between QFD, TRIZ and Taguchi. So whether you're a QFD trainer, project manager, design engineer or manufacturer, Step- by-Step QFD will show you how to let one voice drive your entire design process- the customer's! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Badly written
This book is not very well written. It jumps from one detailed description to another, without giving enough overview or bridging material. It seems like this book evolved from presentation slides, and the author failed to include enough of the bridging, higher-level exposition that keeps people oriented from slide to slide. This is a little disappointing, and it makes it more difficult to get value from this book.

Good examples...not well written
This book provides a nice overview of QFD with more than adequate examples. One of the nicer things is that it provides Workshop forms from which you can begin putting together a training forum. However, where this book fails is in the original authorship and editing. To be honest, it must be one of the most poorly put-together books I have read. Incorrect spellings, incomplete thoughts, and figure-to-text mismatches makes this book all but un-readable. If you need a book filled with examples at a decent rate, this is the one for you. If you can, skip this train and spend your money more wisely on a book that the author and publisher obviously took more time than a weekend to put together.

Well written book about a valuable technique
I stumbled into QFD by accident: while browsing through sample drawings in Visio I spotted a "House of Quality Matrix" under Business Diagrams. The drawing looked fascinating, which led me to do a quick search on the Internet. The search yielded a large number of hits and interesting content. That, in turn, led me to this book because capturing and validating requirements is a difficult undertaking and I am always on the lookout for new techniques and tools.

The book opened a whole new world to me. The opening chapter, "The Role of the Customer in Design", starts with an example of using QFD in a project and gives compelling reasons for using this technique. Subsequent chapters walk you through the mechanics of a generic design process. This prepares you for the detailed treatment of QFD that follows.

Based on my initial research QFD looks simple and straightforward. However, this book reveals a rich process and set of procedures that show its real power (and complexity for large undertakings). For example, I discovered that the "house of quality" structure can have multiple matrices, each of which is linked. This gives both forward and backwards traceability, but requires painstaking attention to detail. This is where this book proves its value - it breaks this complexity down into manageable pieces and provides you with a thorough understanding of the process.

The section that I found most meaningful and valuable addresses customer segments. I am an IT consultant who specializes in service delivery, so my natural focus is on strengthening alignment between IT and the business processes that IT supports. Among the things I learned from this section are: how to effectively identify customer segments and classify them, what measurements are meaningful (especially important for satisfaction measurement), and ranking and prioritizing. One of the most powerful prioritization techniques that I discovered in this book is the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). This technique is an excellent way to objectively quantify priorities and requirements. The steps are relatively simple: 1.Choose the requirements to be prioritized. 2.Set the requirements into the rows and columns of the n x n AHP matrix. 3.Perform a pair wise comparison of the requirements in the matrix according to a set criteria. 4.Sum the columns. 5.Normalize the sum of rows. 6.Calculate the row averages.

However, for a large number of requirements this can quickly get complicated in a hurry. The simple math for small numbers of requirements gets replaced by sophisticated (to me) matrix techniques that are outside of my skill set when the number of requirements to be prioritized grows. Also, AHP is useful for managing requirements revealed via surveys. Most of my requirements come directly from contact with end users. I have found that a facilitated meeting using paired comparison techniques to be as valuable aas AHP. This is not covered in the book, which I found to be a minor shortcoming. If you want details about paired comparisons I will be happy to share them via email.

The rest of the book addresses QFD within the context of quality planning and management, and measuring the effectiveness of quality. Interwoven into these are valuable tools and techniques, such as affinity diagrams, TRIZ and various analysis techniques. While the remainder of the book began focusing on manufacturing, which is outside of my professional specialty, I found the material interesting because some of my clients are manufacturers and it gave insights into business processes that will surely prove valuable in the future. Almost everything in this book was new to me. The author did a magnificent job of explaining how to effectively capture, prioritize and management requirements in ways that I never expected. Moreover, the methods embodied in QFD are both powerful in that you can actually capture the voice of the customer, and practical in that you can trace a final design (product or process) back to customer requirements. I also learned about some powerful techniques, such as AHP, that I would have never discovered had I not read this book. If you are involved in requirements management, product or process design or quality then this book will be a valuable addition to your professional reading.

Overall Excellent Introduction to QFD, Good First QFD Book
Great book for persons just starting QFD within their organizations. Straight forward step-by-step chapters that build upon each other to arrive at a comprehensive understanding of QFD concepts and mechanics. Team/group excercises within each chapter make this a great introductory training manual to solidify learning of material covered in each chapter.

Our Branch Office Will Get One Too
I appreciate the way the author communicates. His style is as simple as QFD, but QFD wouldn't have been simple for me without the book. ... Read more

Book Description

Take a look at the cover of this book, particularly the two images you see there. One image is of electronic components, which makes sense-quality management has been an important tool in the electronics industry for some time now. The other image however is a little more surprising. What does a short-order cook have to do with quality? The answer is simple-quality is needed everywhere, from high-tech manufacturing to pancakes. In fact, quality management is vital to the production of just about any goods, services, or information products you can imagine. This book is all about quality-how to achieve it, how to measure it, how to maintain it. In it, you'll explore all aspects of quality, from quality of goods and services to the processes that are necessary to achieve quality. Plus, this book will show you quality management in action. A series of real-life cases illustrate how theory hits the workplace, including:
* The Pancake Dilemma, in which you are asked to determine a pancake quality improvement plan
* Acme Electronics, in which you are asked to critique their new quality programs, and list some specific steps to take to improve them. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

About overcoming politics and human nature - great advice
This book is not really about the technical aspects of implementing the key processes and attaining a specific level of maturity. It's about something much more difficult - overcoming organizational resistance to change.

The path to achieving capability levels 2 through 5 are well defined in other books. Each process area and its requirements are well documented in Mark Paulk's authoritative book. From the technical perspective it may be cut and dried, and in a perfect world not populated by those illogical creatures called people Mr. Paulk's book is all you need.

Unfortunately people are not logical and a clearly laid out roadmap is not enough. You quickly discover that the path to even CMM level 2 is fraught with perils that are strangely missing from the technical books on CMM. Overcoming these perils are what Ms. Caputo's book is all about. She describes techniques for overcoming the resistance to implementation. Instead of rehashing what you need to implement in order to get to a specific level, she tells you how to accomplish the implementation part - the part that is not cut and dried. She does this by relating her own experience, and I can assure you that if you're tasked with implementing CMM (or any other program or initiative for that matter) you can learn a lot about human and organizational nature from this book. You will also learn a lot about what works when effecting change and how to counter the inevitable resistance you'll run into.

If you're looking for CMM technical and process-related information get The Capability Maturity Model: Guidelines for Improving the Software Process by Mark Paulk. If you are actually responsible for implementing it get this book.

A brilliant view of the CMM
I have worked in the area of software process improvement for many years, and I have literally dozens of books on the subject. Some I've read once, most I've read two or three times... and then there are a very small group of books that are falling apart, held together by all the "sticky notes" and hilighting and paper clip bookmarks -- these three or four books are never found on the bookshelf, because they are always in use. And of those select books, only one was NOT written by Watts Humphrey; it is this book by Kim Caputo.

Her use of the analogy of dance, from her own personal background, gives a refreshing and *different* perspective to a highly technical subject.

After reading Watts Humphrey's books, *I* understand the CMM and SPI... after reading Kim Caputo's book, I can make *others* understand. And that, to me, has made this book worth its weight in gold.

If you are learning CMM, this book will not help you.
The book spends an overwhelming portion of its content focusing on a ballet and how it relates to CMM. As an author, I got the impression she was using this as a technique to meet her page quota. The author overuses glittering generalizations about how to manage people and an organization. In that sense, this book is a rehash of useless management fluff from the 80s. This book contains about 15-20 pages worth of useful information and should cost $10. I will never buy a book published by UNISYS again.

Rather disappointing
I was very disappointed in this book. I found it to be too much touchy feely and fluffy, and too little substance. Other than trying to compare setting up a CMM program to choreographing a ballet (which didn't do it for me), I found nothing insightful about this book. I have a large CMM library that I frequently reference, but this is one book definitely collecting dust. I would recommend not wasting your money as there are far better books on the market that address the subject in far greater depth and breadth.

This is a "must-read" for you and your team!
....
After 20 years of experience in software development, QA, testing, and project management, I have not found a better book on implementing SEI's CMM than Kim Caputo's book: "CMM Implementation Guide: Choreographing Software Process Improvement". In my opinion, "CMM Implementation Guide: Choreographing Software Process Improvement" is well-written, easy to read, insightful, in-depth, and provides you with the basic knowledge and tools that will increase your chance for a successful implementation of CMM. If you want to improve your software development processes, reduce cost, deliver on-time, increase overall software quality, and increase customer satisfaction, then Kim Caputo's book, "CMM Implementation Guide: Choreographing Software Process Improvement," is a must read for you and your team.

This book provides a step-by-step guide on how to go from CMM level 1 to 5 in eight chapters with some diligence, hard work, and practice. The book also contains 15 appendices that provide more in-depth detail on the specific processes, documentation, and techniques, which I found very helpful and will be utilizing in the near future. I enjoyed Kim Caputo's ability to make the seemingly complicated task of implementing CMM more simplified with her "ready, aim, fire" approach that will ensure a successful CMM implementation. Kim Caputo brings her experience as a dancer and a software professional together to describe the CMM implementation approach, which makes for more interesting reading. She provides a realistic view and approach to implementing CMM and deals with some of the key issues that will keep you from being successful such as management's view of the value of CMM, the culture of the organization, and the basic human resistance to change. You can tell that Kim has "been there, done that" and has gone through the tedious process of and the lessons learned from implementing the CMM. The experiences that Kim describes matched many of my past experiences when trying to make process improvements. The book provides and describes the tools and techniques that were developed at the Unisys Corporation to help ensure success in implementing the CMM process.

I really appreciate how Kim Caputo reinforces that there are no silver bullets or special pills that can make a CMM implementation easier. Kim reminds us that a CMM implementation is a constant, on-going process of improvement that requires choreographed teamwork and practice. The book comes with a CD-ROM that contains all of the basic documentation and forms needed to successfully implement CMM, as discussed in her book. The material on the CD-ROM is worth more than the price of the book.

Chairman, Southern California Quality Assurance Association - Orange County Chapter (SCQAA-OC; [URL]) ... Read more

Book Description

This is the first book that explains business philosophy behind Toyota's success. ... Read more

Book Description

Call center operations is a specialized management field with its own theories and terminology. The fundamental dynamics of the randomly arriving call center workload create multiple challenges in the areas of forecasting, staffing, technology and facilities management. A firm understanding of these challenges is required for a call center leader to accomplish the objectives of the organization and satisfy customers.

The Call Center Operations Management Handbook and Study Guide provides this solid foundation through an examination of key performance indicators, call center planning and management processes, call center technology and facilities management. The guide begins with an explanation of service level and response time — key objectives that measure the accessibility of the center. A detailed examination of other key performance indicators follows. The third section of the guide provides an in-depth discussion of the planning and management processes upon which call center operations depend, including forecasting, staffing and scheduling. The guide then transitions from processes to technology with an integrated look at the technologies present in the best of today’s centers. The guide closes with site selection, call center design, health and safety issues, and disaster recovery principles. ... Read more

Book Description

The Wiley Classics Library consists of selected books that have become recognized classics in their respective fields. With these new unabridged and inexpensive editions, Wiley hopes to extend the life of these important works by making them available to future generations of mathematicians and scientists. Currently available in the Series: T. W. Anderson The Statistical Analysis of Time Series T. S. Arthanari & Yadolah Dodge Mathematical Programming in Statistics Emil Artin Geometric Algebra Norman T. J. Bailey The Elements of Stochastic Processes with Applications to the Natural Sciences Robert G. Bartle The Elements of Integration and Lebesgue Measure George E. P. Box & George C. Tiao Bayesian Inference in Statistical Analysis R. W. Carter Finite Groups of Lie Type: Conjugacy Classes and Complex Characters R. W. Carter Simple Groups of Lie Type William G. Cochran & Gertrude M. Cox Experimental Designs, Second Edition Richard Courant Differential and Integral Calculus, Volume I Richard Courant Differential and Integral Calculus, Volume II Richard Courant & D. Hilbert Methods of Mathematical Physics, Volume I Richard Courant & D. Hilbert Methods of Mathematical Physics, Volume II D. R. Cox Planning of Experiments Harold M. S. Coxeter Introduction to Modern Geometry, Second Edition Charles W. Curtis & Irving Reiner Representation Theory of Finite Groups and Associative Algebras Charles W. Curtis & Irving Reiner Methods of Representation Theory with Applications to Finite Groups and Orders, Volume I Charles W. Curtis & Irving Reiner Methods of Representation Theory with Applications to Finite Groups and Orders, Volume II Bruno de Finetti Theory of Probability, Volume 1 Bruno de Finetti Theory of Probability, Volume 2 W. Edwards Deming Sample Design in Business Research Amos de Shalit & Herman Feshbach Theoretical Nuclear Physics, Volume 1 — Nuclear Structure J. L. Doob Stochastic Processes Nelson Dunford & Jacob T. Schwartz Linear Operators, Part One, General Theory Nelson Dunford & Jacob T. Schwartz Linear Operators, Part Two, Spectral Theory—Self Adjoint Operators in Hilbert Space Nelson Dunford & Jacob T. Schwartz Linear Operators, Part Three, Spectral Operators Herman Feshbach Theoretical Nuclear Physics: Nuclear Reactions Bernard Friedman Lectures on Applications-Oriented Mathematics Phillip Griffiths & Joseph Harris Principles of Algebraic Geometry Gerald J. Hahn & Samuel S. Shapiro Statistical Models in Engineering Morris H. Hansen, William N. Hurwitz & William G. Madow Sample Survey Methods and Theory, Volume I—Methods and Applications Morris H. Hansen, William N. Hurwitz & William G. Madow Sample Survey Methods and Theory, Volume II—Theory Peter Henrici Applied and Computational Complex Analysis, Volume 1—Power Series—Integration—Conformal Mapping—Location of Zeros Peter Henrici Applied and Computational Complex Analysis, Volume 2—Special Functions—Integral Transforms—Asymptotics—Continued Fractions Peter Henrici Applied and Computational Complex Analysis, Volume 3—Discrete Fourier Analysis— Cauchy Integrals—Construction of Conformal Maps—Univalent Functions Peter Hilton & Yel-Chiang Wu A Course in Modern Algebra Harry Hochstadt Integral Equations Leslie Kish Survey Sampling Shoshichi Kobayashi & Katsumi Nomizu Foundations of Differential Geometry Erwin O. Kreyszig Introductory Functional Analysis with Applications William H. Louisell Quantum Statistical Properties of Radiation Ali Hasan Nayfeh Introduction to Perturbation Techniques Ali Hasan Nayfeh and Dean T. Mook Nonlinear Oscillations Emanuel Parzen Modern Probability Theory and Its Applications P. M. Prenter Splines and Variational Methods Walter Rudin Fourier Analysis on Groups I. H. Segel Enzyme Kinetics: Behavior and Analysis of Rapid Equilibrium and Steady-State Enzyme Systems C. L. Siegel Topics in Complex Function Theory, Volume I—Elliptic Functions and Uniformization Theory C. L. Siegel Topics in Complex Function Theory, Volume II—Automorphic and Abelian Integrals C. L. Siegel Topics in Complex Function Theory, Volume III—Abelian Functions & Modular Functions of Several Variables J. J. Stoker Differential Geometry J. J. Stoker Water Waves: The Mathematical Theory with Applications J. J. Stoker Nonlinear Vibrations in Mechanical and Electrical Systems ... Read more

Reviews (1)

QFD: Linking a Company with Its Customer
One of a few books on QFD thoroughly explains the steps in developing matrices of QFD: quality planning (house of quality), part deployment, process planning and production planning. An effective guide to develop QFD. ... Read more

Book Description

Written by the first of a new breed of ``quality gurus,'' Fourth Generation Management is a clear, concise synthesis of the best of current management practice and a host of dynamic prescriptions for the future. The centerpiece of the book is the ``Joiner Triangle'', which provides readers with a conceptual framework upon which to build a new corporate culture--one that positions companies for growing productivity and profit in the years ahead. Focusing on quality as defined by the customer. . .a scientific, databased approach to management. . .and the creation of long-term, team-spirited relationships both internally and externally--the Joiner Triangle is already gaining credence as the management philosophy of tomorrow. And that's only the beginning. Readers will learn why process is more important than short-term results, how to foster a working environment in which all employees feel like winners, a new way of looking at data, processes, and variation, and much more. In short, this major release by a widely respected quality improvement leader is the business person's blueprint for the next phase of the ``Quality Revolution.'' ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A Good Read!
To survive in today's business environment, it's not enough to just keep improving - you have to do it faster than the other guy does. Brian L. Joiner provides valuable direction in how to get better faster. This approach transcends goal-based management by focusing on the needs of the customer. Only then do apparent contradictions between customer service and cost-cutting become manageable again. The author admits that the teachings of management guru W. Edwards Deming heavily influences his advice. We at getAbstract recommend this very helpful work to managers searching for a more enlightened, more effective approach. It will be particularly useful for those who need a strong rationale to do what they already think is right.

Practical and Realistic
Joiner, being Deming's former protégé, has not let the latter down by the technical content of this book. It is straightforward and realistic in its teachings and does not glorify the illustrious side of 'Quality' and its affiliated managerial principles. Most managers should find it relatively easy and practical enough to apply.

A manual well written.

I wish every senior manager would read this book.
While I think the title "Fourth Generation Management" overstates its impact, I wish every senior manager in corporate America would read this book. Many of today's larger corporations are filled with managers so busy fighting for their own promotion (or survival) that their decisions and actions fail to move the organization towards its goals. Adding to the problem is a general laziness in the thought processes displayed by many career-minded individuals. Further compounding the problem is the mindless tampering that always seems to backfire, resulting in increased costs and waste. In this very readable book, Brian Joiner provides solid explanations for these phenomena and offers insight into how to address these issues. As a management consultant, I often recommend this book to my clients. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me - adamleft@webspan.net.

Moving from management by objective to the next generation.
A paragraph from the last chapter is an excellent statement of what's covered.
"No executive wants to increase inefficiency and waste, cost and bureaucracy. Yet without a dedication to customers, without an understanding of systems thinking and variation, without an appreciation for cooperation and the use of data, that is unfortunately what we end up doing." (page 255)
You will likely see your company in one of the many examples given by Mr. Joiner. Chapter 9 gives just the right amount of detail in understanding variation and the use of control charts. The remainder of the book helps you understand how "common" and "specific" causes affect a system and how to manage them.

A wealth of knowledge
Dr. Joiner has made a significant contribution to the advancement of Deming theory with Fourth Generation Management. Elegant theory is shown in practice, providing examples that will stay on your mind as points of reference for years to come ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Interesting but low level
The book is interesting, but if you are looking for a good book about the warehousing I'd recommend another one. It is the right book if you don't know anything of warehouses and facilities.
This book spends a lot of pages in the Appendix (50%).
Futhermore the regulations are USA ones, so if you don't live in the USA you don't need to know them.
Order this item if you are a novice and order another if you are a logistics executive.

Great for the novice
Great for the novice
I was new to the warehouse management and looking for a book to teach me and guide me through the topics, this book did so. The most important feature of the book are the forms, plus you can grab them out of the Plastic Comb an use them right away. The author gives an overview of the warehouse operations and how to handle them for excellence. With this book I took the Inventory Record Accuracy from 20% to 95% in four months, a must for those new to the warehouse operations and standards.
The chapters are as follows:
1.Inventories: Their importance to Business today
2.Warehouse, Leasing, and Storages Cost
3.Logistics Services and Outsourcing Potentials
4.Selecting a Third Party Service Provider
5.Warehousing Operations: Delivery and Storage
6.Other Warehouse Operations
7.The Compliance Manual
8.Performance Standards and Audits
9.Pricing Warehouse Services, Quotations, and Contracts
10.Bar Coding and EDI
11.Packaging: Containers and Methods

12.Liability, Claims and Insurance
Appendixes ... Read more

Book Description

Restore Creativity and Trust to Your Workplace
Much has changed since Driving Fear Out of the Workplace first made the undiscussable discussable back in 1991. Advances in technology, new employee/employer relations, and the corporate push to optimize intellectual capital have introduced a host of new workplace anxieties that, left unaddressed, can seriously inhibit individual performance and cripple a company's ability to compete. Which is why, in this revised edition, authors Ryan and Oestreich revisit their original, best-selling work to confront the fears that permeate today's organizations--so that they can become the high-trust, high-performance organizations of tomorrow. This insightful book digs deeply into the root causes of fear and the pervasive 'flu of mistrust' that weakens motivation and commitment.
--Terrence E. Deal and M. K. Key, authors of Corporate Celebration: Play, Purpose, and Passion at Work
You'll discover:
* How fear prevents people from doing their best
* How fear operates in organizations
How to build business relationships without fear...and much more!
This work is a timely antidote to the insecurities of workers faced with the pervasive push toward leaner, meaner organizations. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Excellent resource for OD, HR and all managers
This is one of my all-time favorite management/OD books. I strongly recommend it to anyone interested in learning how to improve manager-employee relationships, trust, and communication in organizations. I think it should be on the bookshelf of every Organization Development specialist, Human Resource manager, executive coach, and leadership trainer. It contains useful, thoughtful, and often unique advice for managers, team members, trainers, and anyone else interested in reducing the climate of fear in their workplace. Some of the ideas translate well to personal and family relationships too.

Fear is extremely damaging to organizations. It can harm trust, communication, quality, knowledge sharing, cooperation, innovation, retention, and overall organization effectiveness. Whether you are interested in improving morale, communication, and performance company-wide, or you just need to improve your relationship with one person, you'll find something useful here. This is not just the same old recycled advice you'll see in leadership books. Some of the ideas will be familiar to experienced people in the field, but the authors expand them and put them into a new perspective based on their work. They contribute many new ideas and examples that you won't find elsewhere.

Portions of the book are particularly helpful for well-intentioned managers who just don't understand why people don't fully trust them. If you're not getting the level of communication, ideas, and candor needed to bring your organization to the next level, fear may be the problem. If you hear a manager say, "I don't know why they didn't tell me sooner," give him or her this book. Most of us don't realize all the little things we do to discourage good communication.

My favorite concepts in this book include the cycle of mistrust and undiscussables. The cycle of mistrust provides a great understanding of how our perceptions and assumptions influence the behavior of other people. It's a great model for leadership, teambuilding and communication workshops. You'll be sure to recognize a few "undiscussables" in your own workplace. An undiscussable might be a sensitive issue that employees whisper about to one another, but not with those who might have the power to do something about it. It's just too risky to speak up. Management might not learn about it until they experience the shock of scathing comments in an anonymous employee survey, or they hear about it from someone in another company! You can prevent this from happening by driving fear out of the workplace and by creating an environment that makes it easier for people to speak up in the first place.

A vision for high-trust and high performance organization
"Our work on this topic has been inspired primarily by personal consulting experiences over many years...Ten years ago, these experiences confirmed the teachings of W.Edwards Deming and others involved with continuous quality improvement. Deming asserted in his fourteen obligations of managment that quality was impossible where people are afraid to tell the truth...Besides Dming, other voices strongly reinforce the need to understand the dynamics and effects of fear. Chris Argyris's extensive body of work clarifies how invisible and self-reinforcing miscommunication due to fear can be. Peter Senge's explorations of systems thinking illuminate its far-reaching effects. Both of these thinkers underscore the need to understand the negative assumptions about people that keep fear in place. Peter Block's works on empowerment and stewardship demand a wholesale rethinking of the concepts of management and leadership as a way to escape thses destructive beliefs. Most recently, Thomas Stewart's examination of the rapidly emerging value of intellectual capital demands that even more attention be paid to reducing fear and building trust" (from the Preface).

In this context, Kathleen D.Ryan and Daniel K.Oestreich, with the following core questions, illustrate some important elements of the trust-fear continuum. They say that if your answers to these questions are all 'yes,' your workplace is clearly fear-based:

* Do a high proportion of people in your organization frequently hesitate to speak up about certain issues?

* Does a fear of speaking up exist at many levels in your organization?

* Are people in your workplace associating managers and supervisors with th presence of fear?

* Are leaders in your organization exhibiting behavior that causes employees to be afraid?

* Are people reacting with strong emotions to a perceived environment of fear?

* Is fear having an impact on work and how it is getting done?

Thus, by describing the following 'core behaviors,' they define the vision of a high-trust workplace: *mutual helpfulness and understanding, *serving as a reality check for one another, *providing feedback for one another, on strengths as well as areas that need improvement, *influencing each other's ideas and decisions; willingness to be influenced, *humor; enjoyment of each other's company, *creative, synergistic problem solving where the results are greater than the sum of the parts, *respect for different backgrounds and talents; reliance on one another's expertise to ensure the best results, *willingness and ability to work through conflicts and disagreements, *common commitment to the same goal; commitment to one another's success, *a high level of rapport and honesty with one another, *straightforward communication.

They argue that the vision of a high-trust workplace can draw people naturally away from the cycle of fear and mistrust toward a new set of possibilities for better workplace relationships, and hence high-performance organization.

Highly recommended.

Making the quantum leap from fear to trust.
A culture of fear permeates many organizations, draining them of their potential and vitality. Based on their interview findings, the authors examine how fear is a major obstacle to open communication and organizational effectiveness. The book also addresses fear during times of rapid change. In this work you will find strategies for building a high-trust work environment. The book is loaded with good, practical guidance for managers. From fear to trust is a quantum leap; this book can help you take that enlightening jump. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Extremely useful book with the emergence of BPM
This is a very useful book for anybody interested in designing and managing customer friendly services. The methodology that the author uses (unfortunately does not have a name) can easily be tweaked for manufacturing processes. With Business Process Management currenly gaining acceptance, this book would be a must. Specific comments include:

1. Content on simulation is basic. The reader must do some additional reading outside this book to really start doing useful simulations.
2. Replace flow charting conventions with more accepted and evolving conventions like IDEF, BPMN, UML 2.0 etc.
3. Content on measuring performance is also basic. A reader must probably read some additional books on Balanced Scorecard or Dynamic Balanced Scorecard.
4. Enhance these ideas with BPO related content.

Please note that most of my specific comments are developments that have happened or are happening after this book was published.

Leads the way towards effective service delivery
This book examines service processes from both the internal and customer's viewpoints, and provides a clear path to capturing, analyzing and integrating metrics from viewpoints. If you follow the design approach that the author proposes you will have baseline processes that are measurable and manageable. More importantly, you will have a process that is flexible enough to follow changing customer requirements and demands, as well as lending itself to continuous improvement

I like the comparison made early in the book between products and services and the emphasis on not only design of services, but delivery. These are reinforced by fictional case studies and examples that transform theory into practical steps.

In the section devoted to actual design of service processes the author uses quality function deployment (QFD), which is a powerful technique that has proven itself repeatedly since it was first used by Japanese shipbuilders in the mid-60s. In my opinion QFD is the best technique for capturing, assessing and managing requirements. Its key strengths are the ability to quickly perform a comparative analysis on the whats and hows, show correlations and trade-offs in a quantifiable manner, and superimpose a competitive analysis. The most important aspect of QFD, though, is that it captures the voice of the customer.

The author drills down into design concepts and introduces another powerful technique called the Pugh Method (named after Professor Stuart Pugh), which is a highly refined approach to evaluating design concepts and selecting the best concept from competing alternatives. While I had a great deal of experience with QFD, the Pugh Method was new to me and I have quickly added it to my collection of best practices and tools.

In the section on management and improvement the real work begins. Here the author thoroughly covers design implementation. This looks easy on paper - doing it is another thing and the advice offered is on the mark. Measuring performance of the process (internal view) and assessing customer satisfaction (external view) are discussed in detail and quantitative methods are heavily employed. I thought the chapter on assessing customer satisfaction was among the best approaches I have come across. I also liked the chapter on improving service performance. This chapter shows you how to ensure continuous improvement of service delivery, which is key to staying one step ahead of customer demands.

I develop and implement information technology service support and delivery processes for a living. This book has influenced my thinking over the years and the approach has been successfully implemented within that environment. However, the approach can be applied to any service, which is evidenced by the examples and case studies that are used throughout the book, none of which have anything to do with information technology. This book is the first one I recommend to colleagues, and it has my highest recommendation for anyone who wants to develop and implement a truly customer-focused service process.

Old News
Rohit Ramaswamy has presented us with a dinosaur view of how to manage service processes. It reflects the old "inside-out" view of service management, which is now widely discredited by leading service managers. Hence the emphasis on widespread internal metrics and the operations orientation. True attention to service implies driving the company's service offering from the outside-in, and is keyed by customer satisfaction measurement rather than operational measures.

Invaluable
This is the only book in print today that deals specifically with service design. Dr. Ramaswamy explores this subject in great depth, providing tremendous detail and essentially opening the gates to those service companies that would like to emulate the fabled six sigma approach. Dr. Ramaswamy is a skilled communicator and academic, whose style leaves no stone unturned for any manager who is seriously interested in the subject of service design.

The definitive work on service design and improvement.
Back in the summer of 1995, I had the pleasure of reviewing two drafts of this book prior to its publication. The book has two primary strengths. First, it provides crystal-clear explanations of sophisticated techniques in the order in which they should be used for effective design and ongoing improvement of service processes. In this sense, the book is like a textbook, but it does not contain a problem set. Second, the book provides guidance to the practitioner in an "over-your-shoulder" style that approaches what it is like to have Dr. Ramaswamy consulting for you and sharing his methodology with you. I highly commend this book to you!

William J. Feuss, District Manager - Customer Value Strategy, AT&T Business Services ... Read more

Book Description

Thousands of companies now recognize that brand names are their most valuable assets, but too often branding is merely a tactical decision, almost an afterthought. In this thought-provoking work, Jean-Noël Kapferer, an international authority on brand management and marketing, provides the most comprehensive model for strategic brand management to date. With hundreds of examples and case studies of brands throughout the world, Kapferer deals with the very essence and culture of branding and provides an overall philosophy for every aspect of brand management.

At the heart of the book is Kapferer's concept of the brand as a pyramid with three levels: the apex is the "kernel" or core identity; the middle is the style or personality; and at the bases are the underlying themes and advertising programs. A brand, Kapferer argues, is not a product, but the product's essence, its meaning, and its direction. Strategic brand management starts with a holistic understanding of this gestalt rather than its component parts: the brand name, logo, design or packaging, and image. This gestalt must be "managed," not just in marketing, but throughout the entire company.

The most successful brand managers, Kapferer explains, search for new opportunities and new markets through the explosive phenomenon of global branding. Kapferer takes the reader through a comprehensive list of benefits, dangers, and pitfalls, and also step-by-step through each of the globalization phases -- from name transitions to maintaining consistency. He describes the conditions under which global branding works best, and the appropriateness of a multi-domestic marketing mix as opposed to a global mix. He also deals with the corporate barriers to having global brands and the structural changes that corporations may have to undergo if they are to fully maximize the benefits of global branding. This hook, already a standard reference in Europe, brings branding in the U.S. into the 1990s. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A big yawn
Nothing to see here...move along.

Kapferer promises "new approaches" and delivers the same tired pablum. Not worth the time it takes to read it--you won't find anything applicable in the book.

A holistic approach to brand architecture
This book is a comprehensive and holistic approach to brand architecture. The author presents an expanded view of the meaning and role of brands and gives a new dimension, deeper than the single, limited conceptualization of a brand as a product. The role of the organizational associations, of the culture values and the emotional imput is very well integrated to understand the multidimensional meaning of a brand. This book will help brand, marketing and/or commercialization managers to best leverage their corporate, range and product brands. Additionally, the insights presented to understand brand and company valuations are very well explained. This book, by Jean Noel Kapferer, can be complemented with books written by David Aaker.

A Terrific Book!
Unlike many brand experts who consider brand to be something that shifty marketers invent in dark rooms and then overlay on products, Kapferer suggests that there is an organic genesis to brand, having to do with the culture of the corporation that creates them. It's a refreshing concept, and one that is extremely valuable for the non-profit and service sectors, who don't usually create new products or services based on the latest market fad.

This is a much more conceptual approach to branding than I've seen in other works, and one that will serve as a good introduction to brand for someone who has no background in it. It's equally good, though, for someone who has trudged through other more tactical books, and even for someone who has a solid background in branding.

kapferer clarifies - brand management is in its infancy
Before brand image and positioning, other things are needed. Kapferer explains why these include : identity, vision/purpose, brand architecture and charter. All ways of integrating marketing as an organisation-wide learning process. Every brand owner needs a copy of this book. If you'd like to form a discussion group debating key lessons on branding (and when it is/isn't the most valuable corporate asset), please e-mail me at wcbn007@easynet.co.uk. Sincerely, Chris Macrae, author Brand Chartering Handbook & editor MELNET www.brad.ac.uk/branding/

Practical text, suitable for all marketing professionals.
Kapferer's scholarly investigation of ways of creating and managing brand-equity should be a welcome addition to the office-shelves of both corporate brand managers and professors of business schools. This book fills a pressing need for a comprehensive text of Brand Management that is grounded in sound theoretical concepts. While the majority of previously-published books on brand management have relied solely on providing shining industry exemplars, their theory-development leaves much to be desired. Instead, Kapferer provides a systematic and rigorous treatment of brand-equity creation and management, that should be appreciated by all who have serious interest in this aspect of contemporary marketing. The author holds a Ph.D. in marketing from Northwestern University and is a respected professor at HEC, France. One caveat that I may offer prospective readers is the multiplicity of examples of French companies that may be somewhat unfamiliar to an American audience. However, this last-mentioned issue may also be seen as an advantage, insofar as it reveals the branding issues in a global marketplace. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Highly Recommended!
John Guaspari's instructive and amusing fable about "Quality" has been a favorite in the business world since it was first published in 1985. As it points out what to do and what not to do in the pursuit of quality and market share, the book illustrates the ups and downs of Punctuation, Inc., the mythical company founded by the inventor of punctuation. This thought-provoking and entertaining little book takes only an hour or two to read, but the author intends for its message to stick with you for a lifetime. We [...] recommend this book to executives, managers, customer-service employees and those who run their own businesses.

Excellent. The best introduction to quality available
This is a realy good, short and entertaining introduction to quality management. It takes 20 minutes to read, but capures 20years of experience

A quick read that makes us re-think our Quality initiatives!
A great book that educates on many of the misadventures of quality-enhancement efforts. Fun to read. ... Read more

Book Description

Business Process Reengineering BreakPoint Strategies for Market Dominance Business Process Reengineering shows you how to take the vital next step to attain market dominance and become a world leader—

• A team of internationally recognized Coopers & Lybrand manufacturing consultants explain why they believe the business world needs to move beyond continuous improvement and TQM concepts to Business Process Reengineering (BPR).

• BPR involves a dramatic redesign of business processes, organization structures and use of technology, to achieve "breakthroughs" in business competitiveness.

• The book is based on the authors experience of extensive international work with leading corporations—including AT&T, Asea Brown Boveri (ABB), Allied-Signal, and Coca-Cola & Schweppes (CC&SB).

• Focusing on the effectiveness of BPR, the book shows how companies can streamline operations, and inevitably cut costs, on the way to creating process excellence in all key aspects of the organization.

Reviews (1)

Practical Book On Re-Engineering
I am currently doing an assignment on business process re-engineering. Many of the texts I have read so far have been thick on the theories and the benefits of re-engineering. As such, it comes across as cheappropagnada.

This book was different. In the first chapter, unlike othertexts, it did not simply insists that TQM and other continuous processimprovements are of the past and are not good enough for today's businessenvironment. It explains how TQM has its place, if you are already a marketleader. However, if you are way below, then TQM will not allow you to reachthe apex before you are out of business. Re-engineering is the way.

Thisimmediately pave the way for the rest of the book. The authors are balancedin their views and do not simply advertise the merits of re-engineering.They also cautioned throughout the text on the difficulties and pitfalls ofre-engineering. I found their arguments more convincing than mostauthors.

The examples throughout the book were taken from differentindustries and prove a source for ideas for any re-engineering effort. Theauthors came across as extremely experienced in their work.

I would havegiven it five stars except the last chapter on the human aspect ofre-engineering was rather dissapointing. I had expected to learn more fromthe authors about the very difficult human resource issues inre-engineering. Like most texts, the book mentioned difficulties and dishedout textbook solutions without real solutions.

Still, it was one of thebest re-engineering texts I have read and I believe it will help me greatlyin my assignment.

I also believe that it is extremely useful for anymanagers or CEOs who want to re-engineer their business. Hammer's classicon re-engineering is not enough. You need to read this book for thepractical advice and guiding framework if you are to have any chance forsuccess in re-engineering. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A great help.
I have reviewed the Third Edition of ISO 9001, "The Standard Interpretation", that explains ISO 9001:2000 and found it to be an excellent reference and guide for implementing ISO 9001:2000.

Each area of the standard is explained in layman's terms, with examples and checklists that are easy to understand.

Mr. Beaumont has done it again! He has interpreted the new ISO 9001:2000 Standard in a way that is simple, easy to understand, and full of examples pertinent to today's business world. His Standard Interpretation includes a valuable checklist for companies that are implementing this new Standard.

His guide is excellent and I would recommend it to any company implementing the new Standard. ... Read more