2002 Harris Directory of Rhode Island Businesses

Book Description

There are some very good books available that explain the Lean Manufacturing theory and touch on implementing its techniques. However, you cannot learn "how to be" lean from merely reading the theory. And to be successful in the real-work environment you need a clear comprehension of how lean techniques work, rather than just a remote understanding of what they are. You need to know what does and does not work in different situations. And you need the benefit of practical experience in their implementation. Lean Manufacturing: Tools, Techniques, and How to Use Them gives you the benefit of author and practitioner William Feld's 15 years of hands-on experience - and the lessons he's learned. Feld provides insight into the appropriate use of assessment, analysis, design, and, most importantly, deployment of a successful lean manufacturing program. Packed with practical advice and tips but not bogged down in theory, this book covers how, why, when, and what to do while implementing lean manufacturing. It equips you with the tools and techniques you need along with an understanding of how and why they work. Feld explores why an integrated approach is so much more beneficial in securing sustained improvement. He focuses on the interdependency of the Five Primary Elements: organization, metrics, logistics, manufacturing flow, and process control. He describes a proven, applied approach to creating a lean program using these elements. To keep up globally, and even locally, your manufacturing operation must be responsive, flexible, predictable, and consistent. You must continually improve manufacturing operations and cultivate a self directed work force driven by output based, customer performance criteria. By applying what you learn from Lean Manufacturing: Tools, Techniques, and How to Use Them you can build a workforce - and an organization - with the capacity to satisfy world class expectations now and into the future.

Customer Reviews:

Great start to lean implementation.......2001-09-13

Everyone is looking for the lean cookbook. Sorry, but it doesn't exist. However, if you're looking for a good solid start, here it is. I've been doing lean consulting for nearly a decade, and found this book to be one of the best. Forget theories and potential benefits: here's where the rubber hits the road. The deployment plan presented is sound and can be easily adapted to most operations. The case study at the end helps to make the process more practical. While there is still no "Lean For Dummies" book out there yet, here is a good solid place to learn how to do it.

Disapointing and confusing.......2001-01-31

After reading Womack's books on lean, Feld seemed to be coming from a completely different perspective. The intriguing title and description suggested to me this book would be helpful in furthering my understanding of lean concepts (as described by Womack) and how to implement them. While I found a few bits and pieces to be helpful, overall it suggested a much different and confusing approach. In addition the way ideas were presented seemed to come more from a "how things might be done" rather than "how things were done that lead to success."

Lean Manufacturing: Tools, Techniques, and How to Use Them.......2001-01-16

This book was very refreshing as it took a very detailed approach at Lean manufacturing and made it not only easy to understand but easy to implement. This is a step by step, "holistic" approach to LT. If you ever get a chance to meet the author Bill Feld, and talk to him one on one you should jump at the chance. He is obviously one of the most knowledgable in North America on the sublect of Lean Manufacturing.

Book Description

The second edition of APPA's self-assessment and continuous improvement tool was fully revised and expanded in 2001. The authors discuss how SAM (The Strategic Assessment Model) concepts and performance indicators are organized within the Balanced Scorecard structure and how they utilize the Baldrige Quality Award criteria. Also new to the second edition are eight case studies from schools around the world on how SAM is implemented and used as a benchmark for successful facilities management. The appendices provide a glossary, references, and the SAM surveys.

Book Description

Why did the modern economy arise first in Northwestern Europe and Japan? And what distinguishes those few economies that have achieved sustained economic growth? These are the important puzzles that John P. Powelson answers in this original and important work.

Building from an intriguing and neglected parallel between the histories of Japan and Northwestern Europe, he explores the paths of social and political development in those two regions to isolate a significant linkage between economic development and the distribution of political power. He then turns to other regions of the world, explaining why they have not experienced similar levels of economic success. Powelson offers a powerful theory that aids our understanding of many current issues, including the problems of the Third World and the long-term health of our own economy.

"Extremely exciting. . . . Leverage . . . is a very important concept which I have never really seen stated in this way before." --The late Kenneth Boulding

"A valuable piece of work, one which shows an immense breadth of reading. Very impressive!" --Douglass North, Nobel Laureate, 1993, Washington University, St. Louis

"A major contribution . . . a big work done by an acknowledgedly careful scholar." --Mark Perlman, University of Pittsburgh

John P. Powelson is Professor Emeritus of Economics, University of Colorado.

Customer Reviews:

World History: Why Some Countries Prosper, And Some Don't.......2002-02-04

If you believe in Lord Acton's dictum that "Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely," this book is for you. There have been a variety of theories why some countries have prospered and some have not. Some say it depends on allowing free trade; some argue it depends on the degree of democracy as opposed to socialism or communism. Douglass North won a Nobel prize for his work to prove that the key is having the right societal institutions. Certainly it takes more than having natural resources.

Professor Powelson (Economics at the U. of Colorado) has worked extensively in developing countries and observed that despite all the good advice these countries received, and had been receiving for 50 years, they were making very little progress. To find out why, he decided to study history, going back over ten centuries in every important region of the world to see what lessons could be learned. His conclusions are startlingly simple: People prosper and societies thrive where there is genuine diffusion of power -- power earned, not bestowed by a ruler. Where power is centralized among a ruling few, the ruling few are able to take care of themselves, but their nations fail to grow and prosper and the people stay poor.

This book explains why every college freshman should be required to study Western Civilization before studying any other. As George Santayana has said already, "Those who ignore the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them." Professor Powelson has written the most important history book of the past century for anyone interested in the lessons to be learned from the histories of Northern Europe, Japan, China, India, Russia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America, all covered beautifully in this one book.

What a surprise!.......2000-07-28

Jack Powelson's book, Centruies of Economic Endeavour, gives a clear explanation of why some countries (like the U.S. and Japan) are so much better at providing economic resources to its citizens than other countries, like in Eastern Europe, Africa and South America. His many years in business as well as academia results in relevant and clearly detailed notes for the reader to follow up. This book helped me understand why, even today, so many countries with large amounts of natural resources, cannot seem to get their people out of poverty. Must reading. Highly recomended.

Crucial for a full understanding of economic development.......2000-04-27

Powelson turns to the historical experience of nations for an answer to the central question of economic development: why do some nations grow rich while others do not? The answer lies in the relationship between the decentralization of power and the ability of economic actors to play a role in the formation of transactional institutions. Absolutely necessary for students of development.

Book Description

In recent years more and more colleges and universities have been changing their curriculum to embrace the concept of General Education and these same institutions are encountering increased pressure to turn out graduates with career-ready skills. Their study gave special attention to the implementation of the changes, and this book is the outcome of the study. Realistic and practical, the book explores the many forces that affect an institution's efforts to provide students with the fundamentals of a liberal arts education. They profile colleges and universities that are not famous, elite, or wealthy, with the intention that their experiences will be helpful to others attempting change in the face of limited resources. And they breathe life into their discussion with fifteen detailed case studies and a wealth of stories and quotes from faculty members and administrators about their struggles to change the curriculum. College and University Professors and Administrators, Researchers, Business Owners, and Libraries. A Longwood Professional Book.

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Revitalizing Higher Education

Manufacturer: Peterson's Guides
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Revitalizing Higher Education (Issues in Higher Education)

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Revitalizing Higher Education (Issues in Higher Education)

Manufacturer: Pergamon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Economic Policy & Development | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Education | Reference | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

History of Science | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books

All Amazon Upgrade | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Business & Investing | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Nonfiction | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Professional & Technical | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Science | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0080419488

Book Description

This volume focuses on the recent lessons of experience with reform and innovation in higher education that are most relevant to the challenges of developing countries. These lessons are explored in a series of twelve papers which analyze experience and issues in four priority areas. The first examines the relationship between higher education and development in a global environment in which economic growth is expected to be driven increasingly by scientific and technological innovation. To meet this development challenge effectively, systems of higher education will need to have a solid financial basis, and the second priority area is the examination of the options for reform in higher education financing. Yet, as essential as financial reforms, are reforms in management and government. This implies changes in the relationship between the Government and institutions of higher education. The third part examines these evolving relationships and implies that the mechanisms and indicators will need to be developed to more effectively monitor the performance of institutions of higher education. The final section reviews recent trends in this area and the book concludes with a case study of the effects of the implementation of a comprehensive reform in Chile including many of the reform policies advocated, and a proposal of the central options for policy reform and innovation in higher education.

Revitalizing the Residential Conference Center Environment (New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, No 46)

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Revitalizing the Residential Conference Center Environment (New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, No 46)
Edward G. Simpson
Manufacturer: Jossey-Bass Inc Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Adult & Continuing Education | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1555428215

Service counts: Revitalizing literacy efforts in American higher education

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Service counts: Revitalizing literacy efforts in American higher education
Michael Kobrin
Manufacturer: Campus Compact/The Education Commission of the States
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0006QYF2C

"Leadership for 2000 and beyond": Revitalizing Christian higher education

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"Leadership for 2000 and beyond": Revitalizing Christian higher education
Edgar James Elliston
Manufacturer: The Author
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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Revitalizing education with computers
Thomas A Standish
Manufacturer: University of California
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B00072I7BK

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Revitalizing Higher Education, Vol. 3
Jamil Salmi
Manufacturer: Elsevier Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OH15I0

Revitalizing religion in the academy: Summary of the evaluation of Lilly Endowment's Initiative on Religion & Higher Education

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Revitalizing religion in the academy: Summary of the evaluation of Lilly Endowment's Initiative on Religion & Higher Education
Kathleen A Mahoney
Manufacturer: [Boston College
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

College Guides | Education | Reference | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This book examines the capabilities needed to transform a globally distributed organization into a virtual organization (an organization that exists and operates across time and distance with the support of global communications technologies such as the Internet). It introduces techniques for definition of goals for virtualization, for monitoring progress toward virtualization and for studying the impact of virtualization on social uncertainty, knowledge sharing and knowledge transfer, organizational memory, transactive memory, communities of practice and organizational commitment, power and control.

These techniques are applied in an extended case study of a development aid organization's attempts to use knowledge management for virtualization over a two year period. The multidisciplinary team of authors examines virtualization from points of view ranging from the organizational to the technological to the sociological and psychological.

New Managerial Mindsets: Organizational Transformation and Strategy Implementation

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New Managerial Mindsets: Organizational Transformation and Strategy Implementation

Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Strategy & Competition | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Systems & Planning | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Organizational Change | Organizational Behavior | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0471986674

Book Description

New Managerial Mindsets Organizational Transformation and Strategy Implementation In order to make sense of the new frontier of business, which entails rapid and unpredictable changes, strategic discontinuities, economic uncertainties and hypercompetition, new forms of managerial thinking will be required. The new thinking, or 'managerial mindsets' need to be global in orientation and allow strategic and structural flexibility in an integrated way. A major part of staying ahead in the new business climate will depend on organizations having the capability to create and implement strategic and structural changes that entail continuous technological improvements, particularly in the area of IT. While the importance of IT to business is widely recognized and reported, organizations still have difficulty in harnessing its true potential, namely, the ability to transform industries and markets. Flexible organizational networks that build and share the knowledge of its employees, suppliers, customers and competitors and keep pace with technological advances are the way in which companies with completely new mindsets will stay one step ahead. The editors have selected contributions that address two major themes of this new business environment and the means of managing strategically within it. Part I: Interconnected Thinking: Managerial Mindsets, Information Technology and Organizational Change looks at the shared, interconnected mental framework required throughout a firm's managerial ranks. It is based on sensemaking that represents an intangible structure in the firm. IT supports sensemaking and, thus, managerial mindsets through linkages in a managerial network and the information that flows through this network. IT is particularly important for development and the implementation of strategy and provides a form of structure to organizations. As such, IT and strategy must be aligned. Through the structure and the information that IT provides, comes the need for a firm's strategic flexibility. Managerial mindsets oriented toward change and flexible IT architecture facilitate organizational transformations. Part II: Interconnected Perspectives: Strategies, Competencies and Performance raises the importance of integration between strategy formulation and implementation processes. For example, mission statements can provide useful guides for, not only the formulation, but also the implementation of strategy. Implementation processes are particularly important for successful strategic change. A key element in implementation of strategy and strategic change is the managerial reward system. Managerial compensation affects managerial actions (e.g. to promote resource sharing across business units) and the firm's ability to effect change. Similarly, managerial ownership in a firm is often used to align managers' interests with those of the shareholders. For example, increased managerial ownership stakes in Asian firms may lead to greater product diversification because of the less diversified portfolios of Asian investors. Many other intangibles affect implementation. Founding conditions can also affect resources, routines and competencies in later time periods. Therefore, New Managerial Mindsets: Organizational Transformation and Strategy Implementation addresses critically important topics relevant to firms' success in the changing global competitive landscape.

Strategic Transformation and Information Technology

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Strategic Transformation and Information Technology
Marilyn M. Parker
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

MIS | Industries & Professions | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Manager's Guides to Computing | Business & Culture | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Business & Finance | New & Used Textbooks | Stores | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Business & Investing | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Computers & Internet | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0131907948

Book Description

Focusing on the realities of global competition and the impact on businesses and information technology (I/T) and its organizations, this dynamic, progressive book highlights the significant changes in the competitive environment and within the enterprise, illustrating how each directly impacts I/T, and how I/T can impact the enterprise change mechanisms. Analyzes major uncertainties an enterprise must face and the resulting new business paradigms required for successful business transformation that imply new directions, responsibilities, and environments for I/T. Discusses the impact of new business paradigms and initiatives surrounding enterprise transformation, and the consequences for I/T applications and activities. Examines new responsibilities and roles of I/T, its accompanying change of charter and organizational infrastructure. Introduces a three phase Strategic Transformation methodology for planning. Identifies and discusses new business paradigms and the resulting change of I/T paradigms. For business and technology professionals.

Information technology and the transformation of industries: three research perspectives [An article from: Journal of Strategic Information Systems]

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Information technology and the transformation of industries: three research perspectives [An article from: Journal of Strategic Information Systems]
K. Crowston , and M.D. Myers
Manufacturer: Elsevier
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is a journal article from Journal of Strategic Information Systems, published by Elsevier in 2004. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Description:
It is often claimed that information technology has the potential to transform entire industries. However, we find that very little IS research has been conducted at the industry level. Moreover, the small amount of research that has been conducted on IT and industries has been based largely on just one perspective of industries. Given the scale and potential impact of the changes that are happening at an industry level, we believe a concerted effort is needed to study this phenomenon. We propose a research agenda for studying IT and industries. We suggest three research perspectives for studying IT and industries: an economic perspective, an institutional perspective, and a socio-cultural perspective. Just as IS research that addresses these aspects at the organizational level has grown in recent years and contributed to our understanding of IS, so in this paper we argue that a similar broadening, as well as more studies, are needed at the industry level of analysis. We provide an example from the real estate industry to illustrate the usefulness of the three research perspectives.

The transformational dimension in the realization of business value from information technology [An article from: Journal of Strategic Information Systems]

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The transformational dimension in the realization of business value from information technology [An article from: Journal of Strategic Information Systems]
S. Gregor , M. Martin , W. Fernandez , S. Stern , and Vita
Manufacturer: Elsevier
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Organizational Learning | Organizational Behavior | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000PAA3RA

Book Description

This digital document is a journal article from Journal of Strategic Information Systems, published by Elsevier in 2006. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Description:
Econometric studies have highlighted factors that appear to explain the differential effects of information technology (IT) on productivity at the firm level. Central to these explanations is the concept of organizational transformation; that value realization from IT depends on time-consuming investments in organizational change and results in new, often intangible, organizational assets. The aim of this study was to further investigate the concept of IT-enabled organizational transformation as a component of the value realized from IT at the firm level. Survey data was analyzed from respondents from 1050 businesses of varying sizes and across industries. Transformational benefits were found to exist as a distinct benefit category and to be closely related to other forms of IT-generated business benefits. They were also an important component of overall IT business value. Qualitative data illustrated these findings and pointed to possible complex causal relationships in the generation of IT value. The findings have implications for models of IT business value generation and for managerial practice.

Strategic effects of the Army enterprise management transformation (USAWC strategy research project)

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Strategic effects of the Army enterprise management transformation (USAWC strategy research project)
Donal E Meynig
Manufacturer: U.S. Army War College
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Strategic Transformation and Information Technology: Paradigms for Performing while Transforming

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Strategic Transformation and Information Technology: Paradigms for Performing while Transforming
Marilyn M. Parker
Manufacturer: Pearson Education
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MVD44G

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