Canada’s Productivity Problem
Canada’s purported productivity lag has been the subject of lots of talk but little progress. As this Globe and Mail editorial explains, pursuit of flawed metrics has derailed the conversation. Read more.
How to use AI Productively
Companies seem to be in a rush these days to find ways to use AI, but generally there is no strategy for doing that. This article shows how a lean approach can help companies avoid project failures and optimize processes by combining the respective strengths of AI and people. Read more.
Myths and Realities about Automation
The “lights out” factory – so named because there are only automated machines and no workers – has been the pipe dream of manufacturing executives for decades. Read why such initiatives have failed the productivity test, and why human workers are often under-rated. Read more.
Efficiency? What Efficiency?
Many of the management interventions we hear about are in the name of efficiency. However, thanks to widely-held myths about efficiency, such projects often cause more harm than good. Read more.
Solving the Productivity Paradox
Productivity is ultimately the bottom line when it comes to quantifiable improvements in an organization, but the concept is often defined incorrectly. This article shows how work processes are central to progress, and how the key to success is engaging people in improving them. Read more.
A Better Alternative to Siloed ESG
Sustainability is often presented to companies as a zero-sum gain – if you’re kind to the planet, that’s going to hurt your bottom line. This article shows how wrong that thinking is, and how well-designed sustainability projects actually increase profitability. Read more.
Unlearning: Lean’s Toughest Challenge?
Companies that have committed to becoming learning organizations are discovering that the real challenge is unlearning false beliefs. Read more.