Leading Manufacturing Excellence : A Guide to State-of-the-Art Manufacturing

Rating:
Summary: Actually, Just About Any Process of Production
Review: Although the subtitle correctly suggests that this book offers "a guide to state-of-the art of manufacturing", I was surprised and pleased to discover that almost all of the material is also directly relevant to processes that do not involve manufacturing but do involve production. Of new and better ideas, for example. Also, how to refine and then integrate the best of those ideas within and throughout an organization. Although it may not have been the primary purpose of the authors, this book has wide and deep application to almost any process in need of improved cycle time, first pass yield, and on-time delivery.

Moody has carefully selected and brilliantly organized a series of essays by a diversity of experts. Her objective is quite specific: to provide many approaches to the basic question of how to compete more successfully. Each section is preceded by an overview. The book is carefully organized so that each chapter stands alone. It remains for each reader to draw correlations -- between and among individual essays -- which are most relevant to the reader's specific needs and interests. When read in its entirety, the book's presentation of manufacturing strategy proceeds from theory and analysis of company and industry through formulation of appropriate competitive strategy to the tactics required to execute that strategy." The essays are organized within five parts: Historical Perspective, The Strategic Manufacturing Planning Process, New Strategies, Management Focus, and Dynamics of Change.

Who will derive the greatest benefit from this book? Certainly, any decision-maker who is involved at any level of the manufacturing process but also, not to belabor the point, decision-makers in non-manufacturing organizations with the same objective: to compete more successfully by establishing and then sustaining constant and rigorous process] improvement. I wholly agree with Ciampa's caveats: "Don't believe that yesterday's answers will work on today's questions....Don't believe that people who have done things one way for years will change their behavior easily if at all....Don't believe you can do it all yourself....Don't believe that you can anticipate everything or that you don't need any game plan at all....Don't believe the old adage,'If it ain't broke, don't fix it!' which flies in the face of every principle of preventive maintenance." He concludes, "The wise leader is always looking for opportunities to make things better before they break. The cost of repairing a broken organization is enormous compared to the fine-tuning and constructive change required to keep it sharp." Moody and her associates are to be commended for providing, in a single volume, an abundance of valuable information in combination with wisdom of unique practicality.

Rating:
Summary: Actually, Just About Any Process of Production
Review: Although the subtitle correctly suggests that this book offers "a guide to state-of-the art of manufacturing", I was surprised and pleased to discover that almost all of the material is also directly relevant to processes that do not involve manufacturing but do involve production. Of new and better ideas, for example. Also, how to refine and then integrate the best of those ideas within and throughout an organization. Although it may not have been the primary purpose of the authors, this book has wide and deep application to almost any process in need of improved cycle time, first pass yield, and on-time delivery.

Moody has carefully selected and brilliantly organized a series of essays by a diversity of experts. Her objective is quite specific: to provide many approaches to the basic question of how to compete more successfully. Each section is preceded by an overview. The book is carefully organized so that each chapter stands alone. It remains for each reader to draw correlations -- between and among individual essays -- which are most relevant to the reader's specific needs and interests. When read in its entirety, the book's presentation of manufacturing strategy proceeds from theory and analysis of company and industry through formulation of appropriate competitive strategy to the tactics required to execute that strategy." The essays are organized within five parts: Historical Perspective, The Strategic Manufacturing Planning Process, New Strategies, Management Focus, and Dynamics of Change.

Who will derive the greatest benefit from this book? Certainly, any decision-maker who is involved at any level of the manufacturing process but also, not to belabor the point, decision-makers in non-manufacturing organizations with the same objective: to compete more successfully by establishing and then sustaining constant and rigorous process] improvement. I wholly agree with Ciampa's caveats: "Don't believe that yesterday's answers will work on today's questions....Don't believe that people who have done things one way for years will change their behavior easily if at all....Don't believe you can do it all yourself....Don't believe that you can anticipate everything or that you don't need any game plan at all....Don't believe the old adage,'If it ain't broke, don't fix it!' which flies in the face of every principle of preventive maintenance." He concludes, "The wise leader is always looking for opportunities to make things better before they break. The cost of repairing a broken organization is enormous compared to the fine-tuning and constructive change required to keep it sharp." Moody and her associates are to be commended for providing, in a single volume, an abundance of valuable information in combination with wisdom of unique practicality.

Rating:
Summary: important part of the libraries of all manufacturing mgrs
Review: Leading Manufacturing Excellence will be an important part of the libraries of all manufacturing managers and executives from the most recently appointed to those of us who have enjoyed a long career in manufacturing and are seeking ways to extend that career for a few more years. Harold E. Edmondson, Former Vice President of Manufacturing, Hewlett-Packard Company