A Rude Awakening

THE INCREASING INDUSTRIALIZATION OF OTHER NATIONS ALONG WITH TECHNOLOGICAL IMPROVEMENTS IN COMMUNICATIONS AND TRANSPORTATION HAS BROUGHT INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION TO ALMOST EVERY AMERICAN INDUSTRY. MOST INDUSTRIES HAVE STRUGGLED WITH MEETING THE CHALLENGES AND IN SOME CASES THERE HAVE BEEN TOTAL FAILURES. FOR EXAMPLE, TRY TO BUY AMERICAN MADE VCRs OR TELEVISIONS.

THE AMERICAN AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY CAME CLOSE TO GOING THE WAY OF THE CONSUMER ELECTRONICS INDUSTRIES. WE, AS AN INDUSTRY, ARE STILL STRUGGLING SOMEWHAT WITH UNDERSTANDING AND MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF A CHANGING MARKET PLACE.

THE TRADITIONAL AUTOMOTIVE COMPANIES IN AMERICA ARE EMERGING AS NEW, BARELY RECOGNIZABLE, ENTITIES. THE DEGREE OF SUCCESS APPEARS TO BE DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE AMOUNT OF CHANGE THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE.

OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS, I WILL BE DESCRIBING SOME OF THE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES, THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SYSTEMS FOR CHANGE, AND EXPLAINING HOW THEY HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED. SOME OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT AREAS OF CHANGE HAVE HAD TO DO WITH ALTERING THE ORGANIZATION, PLANNING, MANAGEMENT STYLES, APPRAISAL METHODS, DEVELOPING TEAMWORK, CONTROLLING PROCESS VARIATION, USING STATISTICAL APPROACHES, BENCHMARKING, REMOVING NONVALUE ADDED FUNCTIONS, AND THE EFFECTS OF GOVERNMENT ON THE INDUSTRY.

DAN ROBLING©

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