With business and organisations moving at an ever-faster pace and facing evermore demanding challenges, the need for efficient, succinct and productive interaction between individuals of those businesses and organisations is more important than ever. With the bounds of communication restrictions abandoned through technological advances (we can now see and hear anyone across any manner of virtual platforms anywhere around the globe) and with a greater understanding of the underlying dynamics of human interaction, unprecedented pressure has been thrust upon the individual or individuals who, often, enable these dynamic interactions: the facilitator. Many of us have, at one time or other, been responsible for a meeting - whether between a small number of individuals or an entire organisation of hundreds, or possibly thousands, of businessmen and women. Or, perhaps, we've had to be the mediator in a family dispute closer to home or managed a discussion between two feuding friends or colleagues. One way or another, chances are, all of us have been a facilitator at some point in our lives. With the ever-growing demands placed on facilitators, this book delivers a methodical and structured approach to facilitation. This book is the definitive guide to instruct and assist facilitators - both new and experienced - with a set of guidelines and underlying theory that will benefit any facilitator, whether as a mediator between two individuals, single-handedly facilitating a group of 100 or working as part of a facilitation team in a multinational corporation. The first part of the book develops the core basic skills of those new to the art of facilitating. There are many examples and exercises to show the reader how to apply them in different situations. The second part of the book is for more experienced facilitators as it focuses on more advanced skills and tackling difficult situations. Specific tools and techniques are illustrated for the reader. Essentially, this book is aimed at developing and mastering the art of facilitation. Facilitation is the art of getting the best out of groups of people to brainstorm, solve problems and gain consensus. Based on 30 years' experience of the author and running multiple facilitation training courses across the globe, this book is aimed at upskilling people, managers and leaders to drive change and consensus with groups through running workshops and meetings.

Designed and written by professionals with extensive ISO 9000 Certification experience, the techniques and forms in this Manual have been used successfully to achieve certification at over 50 companies. The 90-Day ISO 9000 Manual provides the basic system you need in place to satisfy an ISO 9000 Audit. First, ISO 9000 is explained and the registration process described in detail. Next, you are taken through exactly what you need to do to prepare for an audit. You are given the working instructions and forms you need to meet certification requirements. The forms are unique and have been designed specifically for ISO 9000 standards. Since ISO 9000 is not designed to be a TQM program the authors have also included a special section that provides the information, instructions and forms needed for quality audits such as Q94 or Z1. If you want to take your program further than just ISO 9000 certification, the material is available to you. The 90-Day ISO 9000 Manual includes the latest published draft of Q91 DIS, which is the formal public review copy. Companies that have recently been audited have noticed that certain improvements in documentation have been expected by registrars. These improvements require rewording the old standards. The new standards have been incorporated in this manual and several schemes have been modified. The authors of The 90-Day ISO 9000 Manual have extensive experience working on ISO 9000 standards review, consulting with companies developing programs, registrar experience and international ISO 9000 activities. This manual will reflect a practical approach to registration for the next five years.

The manufacturing and service sector needs to resolve a lot of issues relating to products, process and service in everyday operation. Successful resolution depends on the methodology, rigor and systematic implementation techniques. The essential purpose of this book is to impart the necessary knowledge to the reader about concepts in six sigma problem-solving providing sufficient knowledge of problem lifecycle and ways to address the various issues arising therein. The 7 QC tools and A3 strategy are described and analyzed in detail with various examples encompassing a step by step approach a professional must know to address a problem in an industrial engineering set up. Key Features Conceptualizes six sigmas problem-solving providing sufficient knowledge of problem lifecycle and ways to address the various issues for manufacturing industry professionals Enables effective use of 7 QC tools for solving problems Addresses the problem- solving part very specifically in all the contexts of PDCA cycle of improvement, DMAIC methodology of organizational transformation, and TPM & TQM culture of productivity and quality improvement Written with A3 theme throughout enabling each problem-solving tool to follow a structured approach Includes relevant and practical examples and applications

It is widely accepted that management concepts such as strategic management, human resource management and management development have a well-defined body of knowledge designed to inform management praxis, however the notion of efficiency has no such body of knowledge to support its application within management praxis.
This book proposes the replacement of the generalised term efficiency with the more comprehensive notion of performance efficiency to provide a reliable basis on which to evaluate management behaviour. Given the scope of the investigation, the outcome is not designed to prove the success or failure of the inherent nature of efficiency, but rather to establish a new starting point for yet wider empirical research. At a macro-level, it advances the proposition that the notion of efficiency has become an ideological statement of support for any management intention rather than a practical means to inform or evaluate a range of management actions.

With business and organisations moving at an ever-faster pace and facing evermore demanding challenges, the need for efficient, succinct and productive interaction between individuals of those businesses and organisations is more important than ever. With the bounds of communication restrictions abandoned through technological advances (we can now see and hear anyone across any manner of virtual platforms anywhere around the globe) and with a greater understanding of the underlying dynamics of human interaction, unprecedented pressure has been thrust upon the individual or individuals who, often, enable these dynamic interactions: the facilitator. Many of us have, at one time or other, been responsible for a meeting - whether between a small number of individuals or an entire organisation of hundreds, or possibly thousands, of businessmen and women. Or, perhaps, we've had to be the mediator in a family dispute closer to home or managed a discussion between two feuding friends or colleagues. One way or another, chances are, all of us have been a facilitator at some point in our lives. With the ever-growing demands placed on facilitators, this book delivers a methodical and structured approach to facilitation. This book is the definitive guide to instruct and assist facilitators - both new and experienced - with a set of guidelines and underlying theory that will benefit any facilitator, whether as a mediator between two individuals, single-handedly facilitating a group of 100 or working as part of a facilitation team in a multinational corporation. The first part of the book develops the core basic skills of those new to the art of facilitating. There are many examples and exercises to show the reader how to apply them in different situations. The second part of the book is for more experienced facilitators as it focuses on more advanced skills and tackling difficult situations. Specific tools and techniques are illustrated for the reader. Essentially, this book is aimed at developing and mastering the art of facilitation. Facilitation is the art of getting the best out of groups of people to brainstorm, solve problems and gain consensus. Based on 30 years' experience of the author and running multiple facilitation training courses across the globe, this book is aimed at upskilling people, managers and leaders to drive change and consensus with groups through running workshops and meetings.

From TQM to Six Sigma and the Balanced Scorecard, there appears to be no end to the "revolutionary" approaches proposed to improve business performance. However, on closer inspection, most new performance improvement approaches offer few differences from their predecessors.

This thought-provoking book provides a critical perspective on the management of performance improvement initiatives by relating major theories to practical examples from a wide range of organizations. Baxter and MacLeod analyze ideas on performance improvement and discuss how these concepts might not make any impact on organizations, using cases as diverse as telecommunications, cement manufacturing, a major airport, and an economic development organization. In their critique of popular performance improvement "innovations," the authors highlight the possible damage to organizations they can cause. In response to prevailing performance improvement practices, the authors put forth the concept of repair as a way to rescue these efforts. Working from the authors' extensive research, they present alternative perspectives on improvement that shifts forward the stagnant debates on these processes.

Offering a needed alternative perspective and real insights into the process of implementing performance improvements, this book will prove invaluable to advanced students and MBAs studying quality, performance improvement, operations management, and HRM.

Lynne F. Baxter is Senior Lecturer in Management Information Systems at The York Management School.

Alasdair MacLeod is an Honorary Research Fellow at Heriot-Watt University.

Everyone has trouble with bureaucracy. Citizens and politicians have trouble controlling the runaway bureaucratic machine. Managers have trouble managing it. Employees dislike working in it. Clients can't get the goods from it. Teachers have difficulty getting a grip on it. Optimists argue that soon all of this will be fixed. The new Fifth Edition of Ralph P. Hummel's classic text maintains just the opposite - that despite all the current rhetoric from proponents of total quality management, corporate reengineering, and the new public management, it's still "business as usual" for bureaucracies. The persistent reality of organizational structure remains resilient in the face of feel-good trends and values. For this edition the book has been thoroughly revised and updated, with two key changes: each of the six core chapters has been trimmed and edited to consolidate and streamline the important organizational theory developments since the book's initial publication; and, each chapter contains newly added critiques of the postmodern theory of modern organizations, pursuing the theme that postmodernism covers up the persistent reality of organizational structure.

Mistakes occur for many reasons. This book takes a hands-on approach to the reasons mistakes happen, analyzes the actual mistakes, and develops a strategy to reduce them. This book proposes error reduction strategies in human decision making and educates the reader to further reduce the likelihood of making a mistake. It provides error reduction strategies, describes various cost-effective methods for eliminating costly errors, and discusses Anthropometry, Crew Resource Management, Human Factors, Industrial Engineering, Scientific Management, and Usability and the role these topics play in the avoidance of mistakes. This book will be of interest to professionals and students in the areas of industrial engineering, human factors, logistics, quality control, manufacturing, human resources, and safety.

The pharmaceutical industry is under increasing pressure to do more with less. Drug discovery, development, and clinical trial costs remain high and are subject to rampant inflation. Ever greater regulatory compliance forces manufacturing costs to rise despite social demands for more affordable health care. Traditional methodologies are failing and the industry needs to find new and innovative approaches for everything it does. Six Sigma in the Pharmaceutical Industry: Understanding, Reducing, and Controlling Variation in Pharmaceuticals and Biologics is the first book to focus on the building blocks of understanding and reducing variation using the Six Sigma method as applied specifically to the pharmaceutical industry. It introduces the fundamentals of Six Sigma, examines control chart theory and practice, and explains the concept of variation management and reduction. Describing the approaches and techniques responsible for their own significant success, the authors provide more than just a set of tools, but the basis of a complete operating philosophy. Allowing other references to cover the structural elements of Six Sigma, this book focuses on core concepts and their implementation to improve the existing products and processes in the pharmaceutical industry. The first half of the book uses simple models and descriptions of practical experiments to lay out a conceptual framework for understanding variation, while the second half introduces control chart theory and practice. Using case studies and statistics, the book illustrates the concepts and explains their application to actual workplace improvements. Designed primarily for the pharmaceutical industry, Six Sigma in the Pharmaceutical Industry: Understanding, Reducing, and Controlling Variation in Pharmaceuticals and Biologics provides the fundamentals of variation management and reduction in sufficient detail to assist in transforming established methodologies into new and efficient techniques.

Praise for "RESULTS RULE!"

"What on earth could pre-thawed turkeys, Eva the dolphin, and toothpaste tubes squeezed from the middle have to do with the success of your business? Everything. Results Rule! is that rare business book that you can't put down, and you shouldn't, because the lessons within aren't just helpful, they're vitally important. Don't put Results Rule! on the stack of books you mean to read soon. Buy it, take it home, and read every word before your competitor does."
--Joe Calloway, author of "Indispensable: How to Become the Company That Your Customers Can't Live Without"

"Most business books give you everything you need and want to do, except the only thing that matters--getting results. This book is well written, with great examples, stories, and real advice that will actually show you how to improve your results. Buy it--read it--heed it--and watch your results improve."
--Larry Winget, author of "Shut Up, Stop Whining & Get a Life"

"Results Rule! delivers practical ideas that will keep your organization on course for success in a competitive marketplace. Randy Pennington offers ideas that work if you are on the frontline or in the executive suite. He has nailed the essence and importance of culture."
--Howard Putnam, former CEO, Southwest Airlines author of "The Winds of Turbulence"

"If you hate your competition, it's because they're beating you. If you want your competition to hate YOU--read Randy Pennington's book, and give it to all your people."
--Jeffrey Gitomer, author of "The Little Red Book of Selling"

"Six rock solid concepts plus real examples in a quick and easy read equal real results. A guide to differentiating yourorganization in the marketplace."
--M. Cass Wheeler, CEO, American Heart Association

"Randy's business savvy and expertise are evident throughout this book. His thoughtful analyses produce vital points for any business that wants to grow and thrive in the twenty-first century."
--Nido Qubein, President, High Point University Chairman, Great Harvest Bread Company

"In a very engaging, quick read, Randy Pennington cuts through the hype of most management bestsellers to propose a deceptively simple premise--a culture that never loses focus on the desired result and always wins. Pennington takes you by the hand and shows you how to take an honest look at your own organization, then act immediately to create and nurture a culture that achieves results day in and day out. Results Rule! is one of those rare books you'll keep close at hand for years to come."
--Marci Armstrong, PhD, Associate Dean, Masters Programs Cox School of Business, Southern Methodist University

Fashion buying and merchandising has changed dramatically over the last 20 years. Aspects such as the advent of new technologies and the changing nature of the industry into one that is faster paced than ever before, as well as the shift towards more ethical and sustainable practices have resulted in a dramatic change of the roles. As a result, contemporary fast fashion retailers do not follow the traditional buying cycle processes step by step, critical paths are wildly different, and there has been a huge increase in 'in-season buying' as a response to heightened consumer demand. This textbook is a comprehensive guide to 21st-century fashion buying and merchandising, considering fast fashion, sustainability, ethical issues, omnichannel retailing, and computer-aided design. It presents an up-to-date buying cycle that reflects key aspects of fashion buying and merchandising, as well as in-depth explanations of fashion product development, trend translation, and sourcing. It applies theoretical and strategic business models to buying and merchandising that have traditionally been used in marketing and management. This book is ideal for all fashion buying and merchandising students, specifically second- and final-year undergraduate as well as MA/MSc fashion students. It will also be useful to academics and practitioners who wish to gain a greater understanding of the industry today.

Total Quality Management: Key Concepts and Case Studies provides the full range of management principles and practices that govern the quality function. The book covers the fundamentals and background needed, as well as industry case studies and comprehensive topic coverage, making it an invaluable reference to both the novice and the more experienced individual. Aspects of quality control that are widely utilized in practice are combined with those that are commonly referred to on University courses, and the latest developments in quality concepts are also presented. This book is an ideal quick reference for any manager, designer, engineer, or researcher interested in quality.

Now in Paperback!

Highlighted with valuable tips and Brown's firsthand experiences, "Winning Score" is an excellent tool for constructing a performance measurement system. It explains how to lay the foundation for the balanced scorecard by developing operational and strategic plans. "Winning Score" explains how to: Identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Design data collection strategies. Link the scorecard to other systems in an organization. Develop a performance index. Avoid the top 10 measurement mistakes.

In addition, case studies of actual scorecard implementation in different sectors, such as manufacturing, service, support, and government are included.

Click here for the introductory chapter

A 296 minute abridged version of this book is also available on 4 compact discs or 4 audio cassettes from Productivity Press.

World Class Applications shows what real organisations have done to implement Six Sigma, the methodology used, and the results delivered. The book provides details of how these organisations overcame issues with the statistical tools of Six Sigma and provides valuable lessons by explaining what went wrong when implementation failed. Cases cover topics including: Six Sigma in HR; Implementing Six Sigma in the Dow Chemical company; Six Sigma in IT; and Six Sigma to improve reporting quality.

Organizations in the construction industry struggle with three key issues: quality management or better meeting customer expectations, supply chain management or more effectively working with suppliers to provide a seamless service to customers, and knowledge management, the challenge of learning between collaborating organisations and between people working on similar projects around the world. Excellence in these key aspects of business is the hallmark of great companies.

This book tackles each of these themes, demonstrating their significance as strategic concepts for the construction sector and illustrating how development goals in each of the areas can be met. To be successful Total Quality has to impact on the organisation's Performance, which should be measured on a "balanced scorecard," including the results from the customer. This can be achieved through good Planning and improvements in Processes through involvement of the People. These 4Ps combine with the 4Cs - Customer, Culture, Communication and Commitment to provide a model for implementing total quality into construction.
The book brings together, within this consistent theoretical framework, international case studies from all areas of the construction industry. These include examples as diverse as quarrying, construction, design, real estate, land development and regulatory agencies, drawn from the UK, USA, Hong Kong, Singapore Australia and Japan. Through these the authors demonstrate how a total quality or business excellence strategy can be applied in all activities in the construction supply chain to achieve world-class performance.
Written by two of the world's leading experts, in a logical and verypractical style, Total Quality in the Construction Supply Chain offers students and others new to the subject a clearly structured introduction to the concept of quality in the industry, while offering help and guidance to the most experienced professionals. The book should also appeal to people from all areas of the building and construction sector in any country.
* Key management techniques applied specifically to the needs of the construction industry
* International case studies demonstrate how to achieve real and lasting improvements in quality across the industry

PRAISE FOR Balanced Scorecard Step-By-Step: Maximizing Performance and Maintaining Results

second edition

"As a practitioner and thought leader, Paul Niven is superbly bridging the gulf between BSC theory and application through hands-on experiences and real-world case studies. The book provides a practical road map, step-by-step, to plan, execute, and sustain a winning scorecard campaign. Easy to read . . . tells a powerful story with lessons learned/best practices from global customer implementations. Must-read for anyone interested in BSC or grappling with how to create a strategically aligned organization."
--Vik Torpunuri, President and CEO, e2e Analytix

"In Balanced Scorecard Step-by-Step, Second Edition, Paul Niven provides an intuitive and incredibly effective blueprint for transitioning strategic ambition to execution. Paul's pragmatic approach provides leaders with a tool for managing a company's journey from strategic ideas to world-class performance. The Balanced Scorecard is a masterful tool for guiding companies through transformation, and I speak from personal experience when I say Paul's blueprint works! It is the most effective guide I have seen. Balanced Scorecard Step-by-Step will serve any leader well if their ambition is to efficiently engage their teams in achieving a set of strategic goals."
--Allan A. MacDonald, Vice President, Sales and Customer Solutions Bell Canada National Markets

"Paul Niven has done it again!!! With this book, he has further operationalized the enlightened Balanced Scorecard concept into a fully functional system that optimizes business execution and performance!"
--Barton Johnson, President, Financial FreedomSenior Funding Corporation, The Reverse Mortgage Specialist

Since the publication of the first edition of this book in 2000 the revised ISO 9001 standard has been implemented and is being used widely. While the basic premise of the original book is still sound, the reality of auditing the new standard has shown up various areas which require refinement - this new edition addresses that need. It remains a pragmatic guide, covering all aspects of auditing, including certification assessment, supplier investigation and internal audit, enabling auditors to appreciate the approaches adopted by those working in related areas. With its detailed analysis of the requirements of ISO 9001:2000, this book will also be of interest to all those involved in implementing certified quality management systems, as well as the auditors who are required to examine those systems. A down-to-earth approach is taken throughout The Quality Audit for ISO 9001:2000, avoiding the impractical and nit-picking methods which have so often characterized quality management audits, making it an invaluable source of realistic advice. It demonstrates how to produce real benefits from an audit programme rather than simply guaranteeing compliance to a documented system. Everyone who sees audits as a useful tool for business improvement should read this book!

This book deals with the present and future situation with Quality and Safety management Systems (QMS and SMS). It presents new ideas, points to the basic misunderstandings in the two management systems, and covers a wide range of industries, as well as providing a practical assessment of scientific theory. It explains the fundamental misunderstanding of what Quality and Safety is from a practical point of view and how to improve them by integrating the two systems from the perspective that Quality-I is Safety-II.

This book shows readers how to use the process capability study to increase return on investment from their statistical process control/Six Sigma effort and make their company more competitive. It provides benefits to every department within a manufacturing organization.

This practical, industry-oriented reference starts with the basic concepts and principles behind Total Quality Management. The author then presents examples of Quality Assurance (QA) programs that can be applied to the food industry using simple, proven formats. He provides readers with an overall understanding of quality assurance programs and the practical knowledge necessary to set up a program. The book discusses the role of QA in product manufacturing, stressing the need for interactions between QA, Qualtiy Control, product development, marketing, sales, and consumer Affairs.

Assessing Business Excellence presents a strategic framework for business excellence and total quality management and shows how you can be actively involved in continuous improvement by systematically reviewing your business activities and results against holistic business excellence frameworks.
For all practitioners who seek to use total quality management to improve their organization's effectiveness, efficiency and responsiveness, this title is the essential route map to business excellence. From two leading expert authors comes a book where the most recognized quality award criteria are used to explore the concepts of business excellence and self-assessment.
This book:
* Introduces the major business excellence and total quality frameworks including The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and the European Quality Award and ISO9000: 2000
* Compares the frameworks and identifies their strengths and limitations
* Introduces the self-assessment process
* Explores the main approaches to self-assessment
* Illustrates the practical benefits of self-assessment through case examples
* Includes practical case examples
* Provides an explanation of the major excellence business models and frameworks from around the world * A regularly updated web site accompanies the text

The do-it-yourself manual, with steps to success and simple explanatory notes, designed for real companies. ISO 14001 Environmental Certification Step by Step has been written with smaller companies especially in mind.
Dr. A.J. Edwards explains how to achieve the ISO 14001 standard aided by resources freely available from the accompanying website, including a sample manual and detailed sample registers and procedures. Together, these provide a quick and straightforward guide to achieving the requirements of ISO 14001 Environmental Certification.
This revised edition has been updated to cover the latest developments in the interpretation of the standard, plus changes in related legislation, such as the EU's Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS), Control of Pollution regulations, Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations, Landfill charges, Pollution Prevention and Control, and Asbestos Regulations. In addition, the new ISO 19011:2002 standard for auditing is reflected in the book, as are approaches to phased introduction of ISO 14001.
Many organisations working towards ISO 14001 already possess ISO 9000 registration, or choose to achieve ISO 14001 and ISO 9000 simultaneously as an integrated system.To prevent duplication, ISO 14001 Environmental Certification Step by Step includes cross-referencing of ISO 14001 requirements to the relevant procedures in the Quality System.
* A do-it-yourself manual, with steps to success and simple explanatory notes
* Revised and updated to cover developments in the interpretation of the standard, changes in related legislation, such as the EU's Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS), new standards and standards
* Supported by downloadable forms and procedures

This cross-disciplinary business book develops insight into the management of businesses operating in various economic sectors that take a proactive approach to the triple dimension of sustainability (economic, social and environmental), positioning itself as a key reference for both academics and practitioners in the wide area of business management. The concept of sustainability is today at the heart of international policies and debate, and plays a key role in deep changes to the organizational models of companies operating in a wide range of sectors of economic activity. In particular, this book aims to gain a deeper understanding of how stakeholder engagement can contribute to value co-creation both in the company and along the supply chain, and what distinguishes the differing involvement of stakeholders, in particular between public involvement and stakeholder participation. Each chapter of this book presents different modalities of stakeholder involvement and develops the concept of value co-creation from organizational and marketing perspectives. This book is recommended reading for those interested in the fields of stakeholder engagement and theory, sustainability, business studies, and sustainable development.

Hailed by Time magazine as the "leading evangelist of quality," Philip Crosby has emerged as one of the century's greatest management thinkers. Now, in this autobiography, the person most responsible for the quality revolution in American business shares the ideas and insights he's gathered over the course of an eventful, forty-year career. A talented storyteller, Crosby recounts his years as vice president of ITT, his working relationship with the legAndary Harold Geneen, and the launch--and re-launch--of his own consulting practice. Quality and Me is an intimate, informative portrait of the man who changed the way quality management is practiced today.

Service industries have traditionally lagged manufacturing in adoption of quality management strategies and Six Sigma is no exception. While there are a growing number of books on applying the hot topics of Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing concepts in a manufacturing environment, there has not been a mainstream book that applies these techniques in a service environment, until now.

Transactional Six Sigma and Lean Servicing™: Leveraging Manufacturing Concepts to Achieve World Class Service is a ground breaking "how-to" book that serves as a practical guide for implementing Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing methods in a transactional service oriented environment. It uses real case studies and examples to show how Six Sigma and Lean Servicing™ techniques have been implemented and proven effective in achieving substantial documented results. Lean Servicing™ is the author's own term used to describe the application of Lean Manufacturing concepts to transactional and service processes.

Liberal use of examples, graphics, and tables will assist you in grasping the difficult concepts. Transactional Six Sigma and Lean Servicing™ covers both theory and practical application of Lean Servicing™, Six Sigma DMAIC and Six Sigma DFSS concepts and methods so you can implement them effectively in your service organization and achieve reduced costs and a new level of service excellence.