This unique guide details a revolutionary approach to lean systems. Whereas traditional lean techniques suffer from less-than-inspiring results, Quantum Lean (QL) rethinks this subject and provides an overdue remedy. The key to this breakthrough is that QL approaches lean systems from an entirely different perspective than conventional methods. Instead of focusing on resource utilization, QL centers on achieving efficiency from the standpoint of a company's product. The benefits from this simple departure are vast and wide-ranging. In terms of speed, effectiveness, and sustainability, QL offers a superior process for transforming an enterprise and gives practitioners a way to avoid the shortcomings that are commonplace in conventional lean. In addition to being geared toward lean practitioners and consultants, the book is also useful for the C-suite, managers, supervisors, technical staff, and rank-and-file employees. It is intended for those who work in all economic sectors, including services, manufacturing, and government. Key Features: provides easy-to-understand QL analysis techniques that are much simpler than standard lean methods and offer uncomplicated rules of thumb for determining priorities and improvement targets; details a win/win/win scenario for customers, employees, and shareholders that focuses on a company's product, avoids conflicting objectives, and enables every stakeholder to benefit, and more.

The last decade has seen a growing focus on producing evidence-based policy and practice in governments around the world - with a specific focus on causal evidence of the impacts of a particular policy on outcomes for citizens. The UK is a key example of this, with the establishment of 14 What Works Centres which collate, create and translate evidence in different policy and practice domains. In this book, leaders, researchers and practitioners from these institutions share insights to help understand what has worked so far in the Centres, and what could be done better in future. It offers guidance to policy makers and funders looking to establish new centres, and for academics looking to create similar institutions that can have a practical impact on the improvement of the world around us.

A fresh new approach to Victorian medievalism, showing it to be far from the preserve of the elite. This book offers a challenge to the current study of nineteenth-century British medievalism, re-examining its general perception as an elite and conservative tendency, the imposition of order from above evidenced in the work of Walter Scott, in the Eglinton Tournament, and in endless Victorian depictions of armour-clad knights. Whilst some previous scholars have warned that medievalism should not be reduced to the role of an ideologically conservative discourse which always and everywhere had the role of either obscuring, ignoring, or forgetting the ugly truths of an industrialised modernity by appealing to a green and ordered Merrie England, there has been remarkably little exploration of liberal or radical medievalisms, still less of working-class medievalisms. Essays in this book question a number of orthodoxies. Can it be imagined that in the world of Ivanhoe, the Eglinton Tournament, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Alfred Tennyson, the working class remained largely oblivious to, or at best uninterested in, medievalism? What, if any, was the working-class medievalist counter-blast to conservatism? How did feminism and socialismdeploy the medieval past? The contributions here range beyond the usual canonical cultural sources to investigate the ephemera: the occasional poetry, the forgotten novels, the newspapers, short-lived cultural journals, fugitive Chartist publications. A picture is created of a richly varied and subtle understanding of the medieval past on the part of socialists, radicals, feminists and working-class thinkers of all kinds, a set of dreams of the Middle Agesto counter what many saw as the disorder of the times.

Benjamin Disraeli (1804-81) was one of the most important political figures in 19th century Britain. However, before rising to political prominence he had established himself as a major literary figure. This set takes a critical look at Disraeli's early work.

Benjamin Disraeli (1804-81) was one of the most important political figures in 19th century Britain. However, before rising to political prominence he had established himself as a major literary figure. This set takes a critical look at Disraeli's early work.

Benjamin Disraeli (1804-81) was one of the most important political figures in 19th century Britain. However, before rising to political prominence he had established himself as a major literary figure. This set takes a critical look at Disraeli's early work.

Benjamin Disraeli (1804-81) was one of the most important political figures in 19th century Britain. However, before rising to political prominence he had established himself as a major literary figure. This set takes a critical look at Disraeli's early work.

'Engaging, fact-filled and profoundly illuminating. It's inspiring to read - and it should help make the world a lot better.' Cass Sunstein, author of Nudge The rise of social media has sent our social instincts into overdrive, and the impact of our networks has never been greater. But what if we could reclaim the positive power that influences our decisions, to behave better and be happier? In this groundbreaking book, Sanders and Hume build on the incredible findings of their own cutting-edge research from their work at the world's first Nudge Unit, as well as illuminating case studies from experts around the world, to show how small changes in our environments can have a huge impact on where our instincts lead us. At a time when our trust in each other is being destroyed on a global scale, it's never been more important to understand what motivates us and how to use our predictable behaviours to drive positive change. From helping us to run more cohesive organizations, to building important relationships and connections that matter, this is an essential roadmap back to our better social selves.

One of the largest comets of the 19th century suddenly appears just weeks before the Battle of Bull Run. Stonewall Jackson's sword mysteriously falls only hours before his fatal wounding at Chancellorsville. As a boy, Ulysses S. Grant has his head examined at a county fair and is told that he will someday become president of the United States. A soldier carves his headstone as a joke, only to be killed hours later. Colonel Warren Akin of Georgia dreams of his son lying unconscious and bleeding?two days later, his son is thrown from a horse and dies. Are all of these happenings mere coincidences? Strange Tales of the Civil War provides readers with such omens, predictions, dreams, and other inexplainable events of the Civil War.

Quick and Clever Acrylics is a comprehensive introduction to painting with acrylics presented in the "quick and clever" approach, making it suitable for newcomers to the medium. This book explores the full potential of acrylics, which are used by a wide variety of artists for painting on paper, canvas, hardware, etc. Each chapter explores painting a popular subject - starting with technique-focused exercises before moving into a step-by-step demonstrated painting. The focus of the steps is to get top results with acrylics in a short amount of time making acrylics easy, fun and fast.