Four practical revolutions in management: systems for creating unique organizational capability

Abstract

Authors Shoji and David Walden significantly revise their classic text on leading management systems - New American TQM. The book is a comprehensive approach to business management that goes beyond business operations improvement. The authors demonstrate a program for establishing a sophisticated, state-of-the-art management system that creates unique organizational capabilities. Containing new methodologies and case studies, this book is one of the most comprehensive in the management field and provides a step-by-step program for implementing leading management techniques. To create a successful management system, the authors argue that companies must be organized around four major areas of practice called the 'four revolutions.' They are customer focused, continuous improvement, total participation, and societal networking. For each of the areas, the book presents proven methods that enable dynamic implementation strategies. Customer Focus: Any comprehensive management system begins with the customer. Companies must learn to integrate a customer's concern into their own. The book presents how to embrace the 'market-in' concept and integrate the other skills in the book into a comprehensive management strategy that focuses on the customer. Continuous Improvement: For a company to be successful in the 21st century, it must continually improve its processes to meet the ever-changing needs of the customer. The book introduces important tools for process discovery, management, and improvement. In the process, it moves beyond 'reactive improvement' methods to 'proactive improvement' efforts. Total Participation: The key to creating a dynamic management system is employee participation. They are the ones who work on the issues of quality and customer satisfaction on a daily basis. The book presents such skills as hoshin management, team building, creating structures for mobilization, and leading change through breakthrough. Society Networking: Beside a company's internal audience, another source of business improvement ideas is societal networking. This is the set of companies, customers, and suppliers associated with any organization, that can learn from the experiences of these groups. To develop these valuable resources into a comprehensive management strategy, the book covers 'mutual learning' methods, as well as keys for integrating various management methodologies. The book includes: Hoshin management PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act) cycle 7 step method of reactive improvement Proactive improvement to develop new products Engaging people in a changing environment Focused strategies for phase-in Leading process improvement The practice of breakthrough Over 30 thorough case studies