It’s a question I encounter at the end of every seminar: What Now? Where do we go from here? How do we start? Where do we start? What do we do? Most seminars end with people praising the principles learned but then hardly applying them in real life. Why is it so hard to applyContinue reading “What Now?”
Tag Archives: management
‘I Don’t Believe in Supply Chains’
The retail owner didn’t believe in supply chain management and I don’t blame her. The retail owner runs a store that sells office supplies. Her business was hit by the coronavirus pandemic that began in 2020 but which she recovered from as soon as infections subsided and the local government lifted restrictions. The retailContinue reading “‘I Don’t Believe in Supply Chains’”
Scarcity and Abundance Depend on What We Need and Where We Are
My bedroom gets sunlight for only a few minutes every morning. Because my room faces the north-east and because there are trees nearby, the morning sun’s rays shine through my window for only a moment, passing through a break between the tree branches. Then it’s gone, for the rest of the day. The sun’s raysContinue reading “Scarcity and Abundance Depend on What We Need and Where We Are”
Tools are Just as Important as Talent
A mechanic once advised a trucking owner that his job is only as good as the tools he has. The trucking owner agreed and bought all the tools & supplies the mechanic needed. The owner was rewarded with trucks that hardly had breakdowns. If there were, the mechanic would immediately have the broken-down truck repairedContinue reading “Tools are Just as Important as Talent”
Quality is Free; Value is Not
Is quality free? Philip Crosby in his book, Quality is Free, believes it is when we adopt a Zero Defects policy. An enterprise can achieve quality in its products and services without having to pay more. Quality may be free but value is not. At least to consumers searching for the best products and services. Continue reading “Quality is Free; Value is Not”
Why There are No Patron Saints for Modern Business
The Jesuit priest in his homily for the Catholic mass service I was attending with fellow high school students many years ago declared there were no Catholic patron saints for business people. At least there weren’t any who could be a model for those who led corporations and enterprises. In the Roman Catholic Church, patronContinue reading “Why There are No Patron Saints for Modern Business”
What Is Stupidity?
We don’t like being called stupid. It’s insulting and the one who says it obviously has bad intentions against the person he’s labelling as stupid. But what does stupid mean, anyway? It is not the opposite of smart. Smart describes cleverness, ingenuity, intelligence, and innovation. Ignorant would be the best antonym of smart asContinue reading “What Is Stupidity?”
Ergonomics Can Be Helpful, Really Helpful
When it comes to productivity improvement, the first thing many executives think of is head count, how many people are needed for the job. The last thing many managers think of is the human factor, how to better improve the working conditions for the individual person. Ergonomics (or human factors) is the scientific discipline concernedContinue reading “Ergonomics Can Be Helpful, Really Helpful”
About The Supply Chain Engineer
Supply chain management has figured prominently in organisational priorities since Keith Oliver in a reported conversation with a Philips manager, Mr. Van t’Hof, coined the term in the 1970’s, and it has become even more so at the onset of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. Supply chains are operational relationships made up of activities that transformContinue reading “About The Supply Chain Engineer”
We Get More Via Mutually Beneficial Relationships
The parish priest wanted to construct a building beside the church. The new building would be a venue to host church gatherings and organisational meetings. He asked his parishioners for help. A construction contractor approached the priest and offered to build the church at what he said would be half his standard price. The 50%Continue reading “We Get More Via Mutually Beneficial Relationships”
Ellery's Essays 