Tag: Quality management

Carnival of Quality Management Articles and Blogs – Volume X – February 2022 Edition

Welcome to February 2022 edition of the Xth volume of Carnival of Quality Management Articles and Blogs.

The theme for the Xth volume of our Carnival of Quality Management Articles and Blogs is inspired from the editorial of the January 2022 special Issue of Prabuddha Bharata (The Awakened India) – Living a Meaningful Life in a Digital World.

For our present episode, we take up the article, Living safely in the digital way of life, by Swami Satyapriyananda.

Here is the excerpt from the article:

The principle behind a happy, contended spiritual life is to take care of our needs avoid luxuries. In the digital way of living this can be interpreted as installing and using only those apps that you (really) need. This can be better done when the influence of digital way of living is understood so as to use digital way of living safely and effectively. For that purpose, the article discusses basics of a few aspects of the digital way of living:

Digital World: The digital world is about processing ‘data’ and generating digital ‘information’ for the fast access from a variety of sources, for fast communication between people or machines (objects) and fast decision making. We got connected with the rest of the world very easily and very fast, too. However, a family though seated together has each of its member lost in his or her digital addiction.

The Ecosystem of the Digital World:  The ecosystem of the digital world comprises of devices (hardware) of different types and types for running different software(s) the internet, cloud computing sever data centers, actuators, sensors and the devices connected through them, a variety of gadgets like cameras, autonomous vehicles like drones, robots and the Artificial Intelligence (AI) software(s) running over all of them. Most of the apps are very intuitive and deceptively simple in the hands of the users, But the design and build of these apps are very complex. So has been the modern life too, on one hand it has become very simple, with the help of this ecosystem, but had become over complex also because of the overpowering presence of that very ecosystem.

Artificial Intelligence: AI is software that really has made the devices really smart, by mimicking how the humans think. However, AI algorithms, inherently, encode their programmer’s biases and prejudices as well.

The discussion of all components of the ecosystem would be too complex and lengthy to be covered in an article like the present one.

The usage of digital way of living is becoming almost all pervasive with different e-applications like e-Governance, e-banking, e-healthcare, e-communication like smart chats or virtual video conferences, e-education, e-supply chains, e-maps and positioning, digital photography and video making and sharing, etc.

The biggest trap to lure the user to the app is making it available as free. In order to pay for that ‘free’ service, monetizing of the end-applications has led to abuses like usage of personal data for targeted advertising, pushing political, religious or social agendas or fake news and rumors, fraudulent usages, and intrusions into the one’s privacy. Has any lunch ever been free in its true sense?

Using these devices and the apps is like riding a tiger by its tail. A small error or oversight can lend the user into major financial loss apart from the loss of one’s critical data and privacy or using it too much can lead to various disease from eye problems or muscular strains to even depression

The golden rule(s) to live safely in the digital way of living are:

      • Input the barest minimum personal data to achieve one’s legitimate needs.
      • Keep distance from seductive offers
      • Be your own master of your time and your execution plans.
      • Stop all types of auto-notifications. Never carry your phone with you when you eat or sleep.
      • Do religiously follow the applicable guideline for safe and secure us of the app, as provided by the app provider.

The Bitter Truth that we need to remember on the Way Forward is that we, the human beings are indeed conditioned by external stimuli, as are these devices by the embedded software. But, then we have a mind of our own, not like those devices which are just dumb machines. In the name of (fast changing technological) progress, we should not surrender the unimaginable powers of our mind to that dumb machine.

One must set before oneself the goal of each phase of one’s life and an ideal to follow. Use the beneficial features of the digital way of life only to the extent that takes us forward in the life-long endeavor. Also, do ensure that these smart devices do not use us – our energies, our time and our life.

In other words, the way forward in live safely in the digital way of life is out smart the smart devices.

The search for the present day contexts of staying safe in the digital life, one will find several meaningful and updated articles on protecting yourself in digital world, with variations like tips to safe against cybercrime, or tips to stay safe online. One may find very useful discussions at platforms like TED.com, like -.

We will now turn to our regular sections in 2022 too.

We now watch ASQ TV episode on–

We have taken up one article from Jim L. Smith’s Jim’s Gems :

  • Focus on What’s Important – If wait until the things get perfect, that day will never come. If we use what we have, howsoever flawed or imperfect as it may seem, we will soon be on the way to making substantial improvements. … All we must do is to start from where we are, with what we have and persistently do what we must do. “All you can do is all that you can do, but that all that you can do is enough.” There is no limit to where one can progress if we break our self-imposed barriers.

‘From the Editor’ (of Quality Magazine) – by Darryl Sealand, we have –

  • Indecision: From Aristotle and Buridan to Metastability and Digital Circuits –  Aristotle is said to have sarcastically asserted to the version that the earth is stationary because it being spherical, all forces acting equally from all direction, renders it motionless by the famous statement that the assertion “was as ridiculous as saying that a man, being just as hungry as thirsty, and placed in between food and drink, must necessarily remain where he is and starve to death.”,

Similarly, Buridian paradox of free will’s donkey starves to death because he remains indecisive to choose which of the bale placed at equal distance to choose.

Michael Hauskeller, an associate professor of philosophy at the University of Exeter , explains by providing examples and scenarios that suggest that based on our experiences, feelings, and preferences, we must have a reason, known or unknown, for our decisions. And the biggest reason for having to decide, one way or the other, is reality, or time.

To help with decisions on the shop floor, Bill Tandler suggests we turn to GD&T. from Grim, Depressing & Troublesome into Grand, Delightful & Tantalizing,”

[Editorial note: When we outsmart the smart devise, we turn the digital way of life into GD&T, Grand, Delightful & Tantalizing way of life.]

I look forward to your views / comments / inputs to further enrich the theme of Living a Meaningful Life in a Digital World.

Note: The images or video clips depicted here above are through courtesy of respective websites who have the copyrights for the respective images /videos.

Carnival of Quality Management Articles and Blogs – Volume Xth – January 2022 Edition

Welcome to January 2022 edition of the Xth volume of Carnival of Quality Management Articles and Blogs.

The theme for the Xth volume of our Carnival of Quality Management Articles and Blogs is inspired from the editorial of the January 2022 special Issue of Prabuddha Bharata (The Awakened India) – Living a Meaningful Life in a Digital World.

The intention is not to suggest that (quality (management) professionals ought to develop a philosophical approach to the practice of management. The purpose here is only to offer an altogether a different approach than the different  technological or management views with which we have been conditioned.

Digital technologies are shaping every sphere of human life. In his book, What technology wants? Kevin Kelly says that ten thousand years ago, humanity reached a turning point where our ability to modify the biosphere exceeded the planet’s ability to modify us. This threshold was the beginning of the Technium, which is said to be the accumulation of inventions that humans have created. We are now at a second inflection point, where the situation has reversed and the ability of the Technium to modify us exceeds our capacity to alter it.

It is in this continuously influenced world, the goal of the individual needs to be live कृतकृत्य, kṛtakṛtya – do what must be done – life. If put in different words, human pursuits, including the technological ones, ought to be able keep developing faculties of sustained acquisition of knowledge (or experience) that keeps life capable enough enables to differentiate what is real and what is non-real, what keeps our feet rooted to the world that is compassionate, with basic human ethical and spiritual values and what will keep us afloat in virtual world that may give us ephemeral comforts.

[The full editorial containing the details of the point of view, Living a Meaningful Life in a Digital World, by Swami Vireshananda, can be read by clicking on the hyperlink.]

I plan to devote the entire next year’s Xth volume of Carnival of Quality Management   Articles and Blogs to present the key articles of this Prabuddha Bharata issue as the base to explore how can anyone in general, and quality professionals in particular, can lead a meaningful life in the world of information overload. However, anyone desirous of reading the complete January 2022 issue Prabuddha Bharata can access the same @ Read Online link or can purchase the single issue @ https://shop.advaitaashrama.org/product/prabuddha-bharata-jan-2022/ . The brief outline of the special issue is @ https://youtu.be/JpeWb69RneA

Some More readings on the subject:

We will continue with our regular sections in 2022 too.

We now watch ASQ TV episode on–

We have taken up one article from Jim L. Smith’s Jim’s Gems :

  • Leadership Traits – The key to successful leadership in today’s environment is influence, not authority – Most people might agree that leadership is the ability to induce people to do, willingly and well, what someone wants and expects them to do. Certain traits seem to be inherent in most effective leaders.
  1. Integrity: Integrity is more than being trustworthy and honest. A person with integrity is someone ethical with high morals and principles, in what he says and what he does, even under the most trying circumstances.
  2. Trustworthy: Effective leaders are honest in their dealings with people. They can be counted on to follow through on their commitments every time. Their word is their bond.
  3. Professional character: They treat people with courtesy and dignity. They realize a person’s worth is not related to position. Effective leaders take time to care about people.
  4. Fairness: …fair rules, fair tasks, fair competition, fair discipline, etc.
  5. Tactful: It is almost impossible to obtain willingly positive responses from people if their leaders “rub them the wrong way” unnecessarily.
  6. Persistence: Leaders must stay with problems and situations because, to evoke the desired response from people.
  7. Consistency: Good leaders have a proper balance of mental, emotional, and physical characteristics so people can adapt to their leadership style.
  8. Show Interest: Effective leaders have a sincere interest in people…. interest in their problems, progress, hopes, ideas, likes and dislikes. Effective leaders know that people tend to be drawn to, and respond to, those who demonstrate an interest in them.
  9. Lead by Example: Leaders need to set the example for others to model.
  10. Communication: Communication skills enable a leader to connect with others to build and maintain healthy relationships.
  11. Positive: Coming in every day with a positive attitude, a “can do” spirit gives people confidence in the leader, the organization and work being performed.
  12. Gratitude: Effective leaders demonstrate loudly and often to those who give of themselves to support the group’s success.
  13. Accountable: Effective leaders take full accountability when their team fails regardless of where mistakes were made or whose performance was lacking.
  14. Desire: To have “courage” they need to have confidence that is gained by being fully prepared. Being fully prepared comes from desire, commitment, and hard work, most often when no one else is around.

‘From the Editor’ (of Quality Magazine) – by Darryl Sealand, we have –

  1. Reduces time and energy
  2. Saves money in long run.
  3. Accuracy
  4. Improved production workflow.
  5. Reduces waste.

[Editorial Note: This is the classic conditioned outlook of technologically and managerially conditioned thought process. We plan to explore why and what of ways of broad basing this outlook in the year 2022.]

I look forward to your views / comments / inputs to further enrich the theme of Living a Meaningful Life in a Digital World.

Note: The images or video clips depicted here above are through courtesy of respective websites who have the copyrights for the respective images /videos.

Carnival of Quality Management Articles and Blogs – November 2021

Welcome to November 2021 edition of the IXth volume of Carnival of Quality Management Articles and Blogs.

We recapitulate that the 2021 theme for the IXth volume of our Carnival of Quality Management Articles and Blogs is Future of… as the basis for Creating and Maintaining Sustained Success.

Our topic for the discussion for the month is – The Future of Climate Change – with a view to present a broader picture of the issue that has been gaining higher priority at the strategy planning meetings of every (responsible) business.

Climate Change is the defining issue of our time, and we are at a defining moment. From shifting weather patterns that threaten food production, to rising sea levels that increase the risk of catastrophic flooding, the impacts of climate change are global in scope and unprecedented in scale. Without drastic action today, adapting to these impacts in the future will be more difficult and costly.[1]

A view of the high Norwegian Arctic in 2015. There is alarming evidence that important tipping points, leading to irreversible changes in major ecosystems and the planetary climate system, may already have been reached or passed. UN Photo/Rick Bajornas

The Tipping Point | Climate Change: The Facts | BBC Earth

A tipping point is where even a slight amount of warming can move the climate into an irreversible state.

Source: Otto, I.M. (4 February 2020). “Social tipping elements for stabilizing climate by 2050”

Depending on global economic trends, technological progress, geopolitical developments, and most important, how aggressively we act to reduce carbon emissions, the world at the end of the 21st century could turn out to be radically different. Or not….Five future climate scenarios underpin the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s latest report tell radically different stories about humanity’s future.Sup<[2]

The November edition of the Goal of the Month editorial looks at Goal 13 (Climate Action) of the Global Goals

Additional reading:

We now watch ASQ TV, wherein we refresh our viewpoints about World Quality Day (the second Thursday of November) –

Note: This year’s theme is “Sustainability: Improving Our Products, People, and Planet.” The emphasis will be on the importance of quality in sustainability and its influence on environmental, social, and governance (ESG).

Note: I plan to take up THE FUTURE part of this video for discussion in our next episode of December 2021.

We have taken up one article from Jim L. Smith’s Jim’s Gems this month:

  • Overcome Your Inner Critic – Beware of the inner critic, which can be a super villain preventing creativity – In the modern world, fear has become insidious; it is quiet but pervasively accepted as existing. One of the most common forms is what might be referred to as the inner critic…Like all faces of fear, the inner critic is a part of each of us that is designed to keep us safe. …If we can overcome our inner critic, new ideas begin to flow freely, and new possibilities emerge…. Successful people discover what matters most to them. Once that becomes clear, they work to replace their inner critic with an inner support mechanism to nurture their efforts.

‘From the Editor’ (of Quality Magazine) – by Darryl Sealand, we have –

  • Go-To, There When We Need It – The meaning of the imperative go to, four centuries ago, as used in William Shakespeare drama ‘Macbeth’, was “beat it,” now “geddoutahere”….. And in our time, go-to has come to be defined as “a person or thing that may be relied on or is regularly sought out in a particular situation.” It’s not difficult to see how the term came about—the person or thing you “go to” when you need it…. And the term is not limited to people. We may have a go-to tool to get the job done, or even a go-to food when we are feeling blue or want to celebrate.

I look forward to your views / comments / inputs to further enrich the theme of Future of… as the basis for Creating and Maintaining Sustained Success.

Note: The images depicted here above are through courtesy of respective websites who have the copyrights for the respective images.

[1] Global Issues: Climate Change

[2] 5 possible climate futures—from the optimistic to the strange  – Madeleine Stone

Carnival of Quality Management Articles and Blogs – October 2021

Welcome to October 2021 edition of the IXth volume of Carnival of Quality Management Articles and Blogs.

We recapitulate that the 2021 theme for the IXth volume of our Carnival of Quality Management Articles and Blogs is Future of… as the basis for Creating and Maintaining Sustained Success.

Our topic for the discussion for the month is – The Profiles of Future – The World without Distance

Profiles of the Future: An Inquiry into the Limits of the Possible by  Arthur C. Clarke –  originally appeared in 1962, is an anthology of essays written by Arthur C Clarke during the period 1959 – 1961. Since it was concerned with ultimate possibilities, It has under gone two revisions, in 1971 and 1999. As such the latest 1999 revision does not contain several portions of the original text.

I plan to take up a more detailed look at the book in some time next year. For the purpose of our present episode, we will briefly take a look at some of the predictions Arthur C Clarke has to make about the Future of Work (in 2050) and a few representative current views. –

Arthur C. Clarke Predicted the Future of Remote and Flexible Work in 1964 By Jennifer Parris – With regards to remote working, Arthur Clarke believed that almost any skill, from executive or administrative, to even physical skills, would be possible to perform remotely, regardless of distance. This sentiment shows that Clarke already envisioned the workplace to be a mobile one, not one reliant upon people being together in an office to perform their jobs.

For a more comprehensive look at how working from home came to be (starting with the hunter-gatherers as the earliest at-home workers!), read FlexJobs post on’ “The Complete History of Working from Home.”

Here are some more additional readings on the subject:

BBC Horizon is a widely acclaimed TV show of BBC, One of the episodes of that show, in 1964, presented Artur C Clarke’s predictions of the future. Here is that episode:

BBC Horizon (1964) with Arthur C. Clarke –

(Part 1 of 2)

Part 2 of 2

[Note: BBC Horizon Collection – 512 Episodes – can be accessed at https://archive.org/details/BBCHorizonCollection512Episodes

The big debate about the future of work, explained

3 myths about the future of work (and why they’re not true) | Daniel Susskind

New Profiles of the Future: The World in 2050 and beyond, with Lord Martin Rees

How do we find dignity at work? – Roy Bahat and Bryn Freedman | Ted Salon” Zebra Technologies

Roy Bahat wondered, what was AI doing to the people whose jobs might change, go away or become less fulfilling? The question sent him on a two-year research odyssey to discover what motivates people, and why we work. In this conversation with curator Bryn Freedman, he shares what he learned, including some surprising insights that will shape the conversation about the future of our jobs.

How will we earn money in future without jobs? – Martin Ford | TED 2017

We now watch ASQ TV, wherein we refresh our viewpoints about–

We have taken up one article from Jim L. Smith’s Jim’s Gems this month

Productive Failures – Failure can provide the seeds for success.- In a productive failure, you do not achieve your objective, but you come away with new knowledge that will increase your chances of future success. A non-productive success occurs when you achieve your objective, but you are not sure what you did right. You can build on productive failures. You can’t build on non-productive failures….The more productive failures experienced, the more you’ll learn….When bad things happen, first think, “Darn, that is really disappointing.” Then quickly think, “How can I turn this into something useful?”

‘From the Editor’ (of Quality Magazine) – by Darryl Sealand, we have –

  • Serendipity, A Meaningful Connection? – Serendipity is “the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.” – a happy coincidence or more like a “meaningful connection.” ….. It is something like listening a song for the first time and catching that meaningful lyric, or the emotion of a melody, that spoke to you in that very moment….. Quality hopes to provide with that same sense of serendipity…………….

I look forward to your views / comments / inputs to further enrich the theme of Future of… as the basis for Creating and Maintaining Sustained Success.

Note: The images depicted here above are through courtesy of respective websites who have the copyrights for the respective images.

Carnival of Quality Management Articles and Blogs – September 2021

Welcome to September 2021 edition of the IXth volume of Carnival of Quality Management Articles and Blogs.

We recapitulate that the 2021 theme for the IXth volume of our Carnival of Quality Management Articles and Blogs is Future of… as the basis for Creating and Maintaining Sustained Success.

Our topic for the discussion for the month is – The Future of Work.

How the World of Work is Changing – The workplace of today looks dramatically different to the workplace of yesteryear. Besides obvious technological changes – computers replacing typewriters and machines replacing people – social change has ushered more women into what used to be predominantly a man’s world.

To review the full study please visit – https://www.nextgeneration.ie/blog/2016/04/how-the-world-of-work-is-changing and also view the infographic presented there.

The 5 Trends Shaping the Future of Work – Jacob Morgan – Everything we know about the future of work is being shaped by five trends: globalization, technology, changing demographics, new behaviors, and mobility. For the first time these five trends are coming together to force organizations to change the way they think about how work gets done.

The big debate about the future of work, explains why economists and futurists disagree about the future of the labor market.

The future of work: is your job safe? | The Economist – This is the workforce of the future. Technology is transforming the world of work beyond all recognition creating groundbreaking opportunities. But it’s also eroding the rights of workers. Some even fear a dystopian jobless future. But are these anxieties overblown? How we react to this brave new world of work today will shape societies for generations to come. What are the forces shaping how people live and work and how power is wielded in the modern age? NOW AND NEXT reveals the pressures, the plans and the likely tipping points for enduring global change.

The Future of Work – A CQI Quality Futures Report talks about the effects of digitalisation in the workplace, helping every working person and the organisation to proactively address these issues in the relevant management strategies.

The downloadable copy of this report is available @ https://www.quality.org/future-of-work

Transitioning to the future of work and the workplace – A Deloitte survey (sponsored by Facebook) asked C-suite executives for their perspectives on the future of work. Their responses reveal six themes about the future workplace—and six lessons to help leaders ease the transition.

1: Pay attention to culture; help ensure leaders actively participate in its development and dissemination.

2: Companies should be proactive in creating greater transparency in communications and new systems, and policies and reinterpreting their corporate culture around digital in the workplace, or they risk losing employees, productivity, and, potentially, customers.

3: To keep Millennials, companies should place greater emphasis on nurturing and developing their people, creating interesting and purposeful work, and building an environment with career flexibility and tools that enable employees to collaborate and exchange ideas transparently.

4: Business benefits are real—this is about getting things done

5: Start the shift to new collaboration tools but help ensure workplace practices and employee expectations are aligned with the new capabilities that are available.

6: Leaders can often underestimate the benefits of social tools at work8 and need to be educated in how to use collaboration and business social tools for improved communication, collaboration, and connectivity.

The downloadable copy of the report is available @ https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/global/Documents/HumanCapital/gx-hc-us-cons-transitioning-to-the-future-of-work-and-the-workplace.pdf

Some more videos: for further study:

We now watch ASQ TV, wherein we refresh our viewpoints about–

  • Readying Yourself for Digital Transformation Initiatives – Richard Uphoff, Manager & Registered Principal Responsible (RPR), Vanguard, discusses skills needed for digital transformation, lessons learned from 25 years of challenging initiatives, and the need to learn how to learn.

We have taken up one article from Jim L. Smith’s Jim’s Gems this month

  • Enhancing Effectiveness – If you do not feel very effective or productive while at work, it can lead to a downward spiral. Chances are you can work far more effectively than you are now and put yourself into an upward trend.

One way is to take control of your time and manage it as well as possible. Try keeping a log for a week or two and track every minute of your day at work, then analyze it. Next, develop strategies for eliminating time traps and time wasters that are pulling you away from achieving your goals

Another good opportunity is to stay current with the technical innovations in your business or industry by reading latest books, periodicals, etc.

A third suggestion is to expand the network of people who can stimulate and support you.

‘From the Editor’ (of Quality Magazine) – by Darryl Sealand, we have-

  • Answers & Questions – We’ve all seen movies where the leader inspires his or her team with a moving speech and a call to action. But one characteristic is usually absent.

“Have you ever seen them ask any questions? They just know what to do,”

And that is important for all involved—leaders, followers, associates, suppliers, stakeholders. Asking questions and searching for feedback provides the confidence of knowing everyone is on the same page.

I look forward to your views / comments / inputs to further enrich the theme of Future of… as the basis for Creating and Maintaining Sustained Success.

Note: The images depicted here above are through courtesy of respective websites who have the copyrights for the respective images.

Carnival of Quality Management Articles and Blogs – July 2021

Welcome to July 2021 edition of the IXth volume of Carnival of Quality Management Articles and Blogs.

We recapitulate that the 2021 theme for the IXth volume of our Carnival of Quality Management Articles and Blogs is Future of… as the basis for Creating and Maintaining Sustained Success.

Our topic for the discussion for the month is – The Future of Manufacturing.

  • The Industry 4.0 technologies are changing the comparative advantages that drive competitiveness.
  • While technology is boosting productivity in today’s manufacturing hubs and largely offsetting rising wages, it is also reducing the cost of capital and slowing the need to offshore production toward lower-wage countries. Moreover, other factors such as proximity to consumers, the supply of skilled labor, and ecosystem synergies are playing a role as drivers of reshoring.
  • The rising value-added of pre- and post-production activities can reduce the relative importance of the mid-value-chain production stages.
  • The skill bias of technological progress and the increased capital intensity of production will continue to reduce demand for less skilled workers, polarize the job market, and contribute to rising income inequality….If history is a guide, new demand for labor and unforeseen occupations will emerge in the future.
  • The opportunities for the manufacturing in the developing countries will be on account of:
    • A rising middle class in the developing world could lead manufacturers to locate closer to fast-growing consumer markets.
    • The recent research has identified a set of industries outside of manufacturing – “industries without smokestacks” include horticulture, agro-processing, tourism, and some ICT-based services, among others-  that share the tradability and higher productivity features of manufacturing and have great scope to generate growth and employment.[1]

Manufacturing is no longer simply about making physical products…The changing economics of production and distribution, along with shifts in consumer demand and the emergence of “smart” products, are pushing manufacturers to explore radically new ways of creating and capturing value…. given the emergence of more complex ecosystems of fragmented and concentrated players across a growing array of manufacturing value chains, businesses that understand emerging “influence points” will have a significant strategic advantage. As the manufacturing landscape evolves and competitive pressure mounts, driven by the needs of ever more demanding customers, position will matter more than ever.[2]

Manufacturing the future: The next era of global growth and innovation, a major report from the McKinsey Global Institute, presents a clear view of how manufacturing contributes to the global economy today and how it will probably evolve over the coming decade. Our findings include the following points:[3]

The Future of Manufacturing- The World Economic Forum’s Future of Manufacturing project tracks how the global manufacturing ecosystem is evolving. This five-minute investigation explores the future of industry and asks does manufacturing really matter? The Future of Manufacturing project identifies what companies and countries must do to win in a rapidly changing world.

Manufacturers must create a succinct list of priorities that will ensure financial resilience.

  • Focus On Aspects That Can Be Controlled to identify opportunities to improve operational resilience and put processes in place that enable adaptability.
  • Diversify Concentrated Supply Chains by re-examining supply chains and their weak points to reduce the risk of disruptions as much as possible.
  • Balance Risk Mitigation With Capacity Management so as to minimize risks by focusing on specific solutions and production processes, and by broadening offerings.
  • Think Differently About Upskilling and Labor Sourcing with help of remote work force technologies and digital transformation to create a work environment that can attract workforce talent.
  • Time for Leadership to think of better long-term solutions that support adaptability and resilience to take leadership with the future of manufacturing and do things differently. .[4]

Two key priorities that emerge for  both governments and businesses are education and the development of skills. Companies have to build their R&D capabilities, as well as expertise in data analytics and product design. They will need qualified, computer-savvy factory workers and agile managers for complex global supply chains. In addition to supporting ongoing efforts to improve public education—particularly the teaching of math and analytical skills—policy makers must work with industry and educational institutions to ensure that skills learned in school fit the needs of employers.

In all the decisions about where and how to play in this new environment, there is no master playbook—and no single path to success. But by understanding these shifts, roles, and influence points, both incumbents and new entrants can give themselves the tools to successfully navigate the new landscape of manufacturing.

Further reading:

We will now turn to our regular sections:

We now watch ASQ TV, wherein we refresh our viewpoints about–

Performance Excellence Models and Leadership – Paul Grizzell, co-author, Insights in Performance Excellence, discusses why performance excellence models don’t take hold and what leaders need to do to guarantee a successful initiative launch.

In this episode: Paul Grizzell’s full Interview

We have taken up one article from Jim L. Smith’s Jim’s Gems this month:

Boredom – generally, any experience that is predictable and repetitive can result in boredom.

It is an attitude, rather than a condition. And since attitudes are learned, they can be unlearned and replaced with more productive attitudes.

Boredom can be a signal that you may be just a step away from going through some real growth. Some experts suggest that boredom can be a ‘call to action.’ It can be a catalyst for change. It can provide an opportunity for thought and reflection.

If you find yourself bored, it is time to look within and initiate meaningful change.

‘From the Editor’ (of Quality Magazine) – by Darryl Sealand, we have

Unintended Consequences – It’s the law – Adam Smith said that the individual, even one working purely for his own gain, is “led by an invisible hand to promote an end which was no part of his intention,” and that end is the benefit provided to the public interest or the public good. It is a prime example of what is called a positive unintended consequence.

The ratio of positive to negative unintended consequences is about 3 to 1.

The best, and only, approach to take the Law of Unintended Consequences, is to surround ourselves with the tools and knowledge to reap our vigilante justice.

I look forward to your views / comments / inputs to further enrich the theme of Future of… as the basis for Creating and Maintaining Sustained Success.

Note: The images depicted here above are through courtesy of respective websites who have the copyrights for the respective images.

[1] The future of global manufacturing – Brahima Sangafowa Coulibaly and Karim Foda

[2] The future of manufacturing

[3] Manufacturing the future: The next era of global growth and innovation – James Manyika, Jeff Sinclair, Richard Dobbs, Gernot Strube, Louis Rassey, Jan Mischke, Jaana Remes, Charles Roxburgh, Katy George, David O’Halloran, and Sreenivas Ramaswamy

[4] The Future Of Manufacturing: What Executives Are Saying – Willem Sundblad

Carnival of Quality Management Articles and Blogs – May 2021

Welcome to May 2021 edition of the IXth volume of Carnival of Quality Management Articles and Blogs.

We recapitulate that the 2021 theme for the IXth volume of our Carnival of Quality Management Articles and Blogs is Future of… as the basis for Creating and Maintaining Sustained Success.

We base our discussion on the subject for the present episode on A TED talk, Back to the future (1994), from the playlist The history of the future. In the talk, Danny Hillis outlines an intriguing theory of how and why technological change seems to be accelerating, by linking it to the very evolution of life itself. The presentation techniques he uses may look dated, but the ideas are as relevant as ever…. In essence, the talk has this to state on its key theme of accelerating changes –

The humanity has started abstracting out. We’re going through the same levels that multi-cellular organisms have gone through — abstracting out our methods of recording, presenting, processing information….In the process, we have speeded up time scales. The process is feeding on itself and becoming autocatalytic. The more it changes, the faster it changes.

There is an equally strong school of thought that thinks otherwise.

‘If the pace of change really were unprecedented, then conventional wisdom holds we’d better darn well slow it down, so no one gets hurt.  Either way, the commentators warn, “buckle up.” Here is one, by Alvin Toffler in 1970.:

‘ “It has become a cliché to say that what we are now living through is a “second industrial revolution.” This phrase is supposed to impress us with the speed and profundity of the change around us. But in addition to being platitudinous, it is misleading. For what is occurring now is, in all likelihood, bigger, deeper, and more important than the industrial revolution. Indeed, a growing body of reputable opinion asserts that the present movement represents nothing less than the second great divide in human history, comparable in magnitude only with that first great break in historic continuity, the shift from barbarism to civilization”.

‘Why have people long believed that their eras were unprecedented when it came to the rate of change? There are two reasons. First, at least today, it is hard to get attention if you say that “there’s nothing new here, at least in terms of the pace of change.” Second, it’s simply human nature. Most of us overestimate change in a few things around our lives and ignore most of the rest that changes very slowly, if at all.

‘None of this is to say that technology-driven change isn’t happening. Of course it is—and it’s making our lives much better. But the pace of change appears to be no faster than in prior eras, and just as economies did fine despite Luddite impulses then, ours will do fine now. So, let’s all take a deep breath and say together: “Technological change is not accelerating, but it would sure be nice if it would.” ‘[1]

Scott Brinker has formulated Martec’s Law, which states, Technology changes exponentially, organizations change logarithmically…..there have been hundreds of best-selling books written on the difficulties of personal and organizational change. Empirically, the limit of change for humans is less than linear. In other words, it’s not feasible for an organization to change faster than that. But it’s certainly possible for an organization to change more slowly — or not at all. In fact, in the absence of good leadership, stagnation seems like the default outcome. But even with great leadership, an organization can’t win by outracing technology. It needs a more nuanced strategy….In A.G. Lafley’s book, Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works, he drives home the point that strategy is choice. It’s decisively choosing to do certain things and to not do others….That is the crux of technology management. We can’t adopt all technological changes, but we can consciously choose some. Great technology management is choosing which changes to absorb — ideally those that are best aligned with the organization’s overall strategy….In the graph, it’s intentionally deciding what’s in (the red shaded area) and what’s out (the blue shaded area)….. To succeed, technology management must explicitly address how those technologies will be absorbed into the operations and the culture of the organization.

A successful tech-enabled transformation requires organizations to make progress on several paths simultaneously. … Only by following a structured, comprehensive playbook can companies translate their transformation priorities from strategy to action. A two-step methodology supported by several enablers can provide companies with the direction, priorities, and organizational capabilities to maximize the value of such investments. Indeed, companies that took a comprehensive approach to their transformation generated more than twice as much value as organizations focused solely on technology improvements. [2]

Charlie Feld, in his article, Change Management: Leading Through Technology Changes, states: There are three major competencies that great IT leaders need in order to get the lay of the changing landscape: pattern recognition, technical savvy and street smarts.

One may tend to conclude that one should consciously map the change and act in accordance with the organization’s long-term strategy of maintain its competitive advantage.

We will now turn to our regular sections:

We now watch ASQ TV, wherein we refresh our viewpoints about–

The Quality Professional’s Changing Workplace – This episode investigates how the global pandemic and digital transformation are changing the quality professional’s workplace.

We have taken up one article from Jim L. Smith’s Jim’s Gems this month:

Commit to Improvement – Most continuous improvement programs are treated as the latest management fad; therefore, people look at it as just another “program of the month” being pushed by management. …This is not the way the organization conducts its other business. In fact, the continuous improvement effort is often at odds with the existing processes and metrics, so it is destined to limp along on its way to mediocrity and eventual failure…. Continuous improvement is more about rigor and discipline than it is about technique.

‘From the Editor (of Quality Magazine) – by Darryl Sealand, we have

Rules: Good or Bad? – English actor and author Alan Bennett once said, “We started off trying to set up a small anarchist community, but people wouldn’t obey the rules.” … We equate rules with the difference between order and chaos. We often, quite negatively, associate rules as being an obstacle to success. …Depending on your perspective, those seen breaking the rules are either bad people or trailblazers and pioneers…These quotes express more accurately captures the essence— “Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist” (Pablo Picasso ) or “Know the rules well, so you can break them effectively.” (the Dalai Lama)…. Although much has changed in the last year and the near future can look a little daunting, understanding the rules of before, what is happening now, and how it may affect us moving forward is always good practice.

I look forward to your views / comments / inputs to further enrich the theme of Future of… as the basis for Creating and Maintaining Sustained Success.

Note: The images depicted here above are through courtesy of respective websites who have the copyrights for the respective images.

[1] Technology Feels Like It’s Accelerating—Because You’ve Been Watching Too Many TED Talks – Robert D. Atkinson

[2] Accelerating the impact from a tech-enabled transformation By Venkat Atluri, Aamer Baig, and Satya Rao

Carnival of Quality Management Articles and Blogs – April 2021

Welcome to April 2021 edition of the IXth volume of Carnival of Quality Management Articles and Blogs.

We recapitulate that the 2021 theme for the IXth volume of our Carnival of Quality Management Articles and Blogs is Future of… as the basis for Creating and Maintaining Sustained Success.

I have picked up two articles relating to Future of Industry. Here too I have avoided going into details that relate to impact of digital technologies but have chosen to focus on the issues that should concern the management in general.

Note: This subject has no correlation to Industries of Future.

The future of industries: Bringing down the walls – As the boundaries between suppliers, producers and consumers and, in some cases, between whole industries shift, the separating walls are being brought down.…. It is expected that all industries will be transformed by the technology shockwave, lowering cost bases, and improving operational efficiency as well as demanding greater integration with customers and suppliers.

Five big issues for companies –

1. Have you got an outcomes’ focus or are you still stuck in a physical product mindset?

2. What are you doing to avoid commoditisation of your business?

3. Are you building a platform presence?

4. Are you leading with or being left behind by advanced technology?

5. Have you got your timing, right?

The ‘Future of Industries’ report discusses these and a number of other questions. Download it to find out more and join in the discussion with PwC.

Industry Of The Future: We Need To Talk – Mike Hughes – The industrial world still inhabits an environment of proprietary systems and vendor lock-in long since abandoned by the IT sector. This is throttling innovation and progress.

Credit: Getty Images

Many organizations recognize that next-generation industrial automation must be interoperable and break free from the locked-in model we currently accept. Interoperable and portable application software is a must for next-generation industries…… The factories and industries of the future, will have machines, operations and IT systems integrated and understand each other, talk and collaborate—where agility, sustainability, and productively are just a matter of choosing the best-in-class solution for your operation.

The Future of Industry | Accenture sums up succinctly the challenges as it states – The world is changing, and all industries are facing a tectonic shift. Let’s embrace the new, together…..

We will now turn to our regular sections:

We now watch ASQ TV, wherein we refresh our viewpoints about–

Shared Meanings from Top to Bottom – Charlie Barton, President, Barton Consulting LLC, discusses the importance of shared meanings of words for organizations, and the negative business implications that could occur without that common knowledge.

We have taken up one article from Jim L. Smith’s Jim’s Gems this month:

Organizational Culture – Workplace culture takes work but delivers value – Peter F. Drucker, the famed educator and management consultant, said, “There is nothing as useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all.” …. Maybe more important for effectiveness and efficiency is workplace culture. As times change so must the culture. …We must learn to be aware of one another from a cultural background before we can learn to work together effectively. We need to realize it is not so much what we say as much as the manner in which we express ourselves that can adversely affect mutual understanding…. A lack of understanding and sensitivity can be injurious to the environment. There must be balance in the workforce just as there is in any other situation. We must learn to appreciate the differences between generations and learn to adapt. 

‘From the Editor (of Quality Magazine) – by Darryl Sealand, we have

Truth or Fallacy – Depends on how you look at it. – Sunk costs are defined as costs that have already been incurred and cannot be recovered. Proponents of the sunk cost fallacy argue that since it is a cost paid in the past and unrecoverable, it should be removed from any future decision making. But that does not stop sunk costs from being a part of our psyche…The sunk cost fallacy, in a way, is not just forgetting the time, money, and effort that went into producing something, but not allowing it to blind us to what we truly want or need. … “The sunk cost fallacy means making a choice not based on what outcome you think is going to be the best moving forward, but instead based on a desire to not see your past investment go to waste,” said Julia Galef, president of the Center for Applied Rationality.[1]

I look forward to your views / comments / inputs to further enrich the theme of Future of… as the basis for Creating and Maintaining Sustained Success.

Note: The images depicted here above are through courtesy of respective websites who have the copyrights for the respective images.

[1] Julia Galef: The Sunk Costs Fallacy | Big Think

Carnival of Quality Management Articles and Blogs – November, 2018

Welcome to November, 2018 edition of Carnival of Quality Management Articles and Blogs.

Let us recollect from our August, 2018 issue that two of the three key changes that characterize ISO 9004: 2018 are:

  • focus on the concept of “quality of an organization”;
  • focus of the concept of “identity of an organization”

We will expand the concept of Identity of an Organization in this November, 2018 issue.

Organizational Identity is not a new subject to the world of management academics and the practicing professionals. However with the introduction of the concept into the body of the revised ISO 9004:2018 standard, the subject opens up a very interesting dimension to the quality professionals too.

Organizational identity is a field of study in organizational theory that seeks the answer to the question: “who are we as an organization?” ..According to Whetten (2006) the attributes of an organizational identity are central, enduring, and distinctive/distinguishing (CED).

  • Central attributes are ones that have changed the history of the company; if these attribute were missing, the history of the organization would have been different.
  • Enduring attributes are ones deeply ingrained in the organization, often explicitly considered sacrosanct or embedded in the organizational history.
  • Distinguishing attributes are ones used by the organization to separate itself from other similar organizations, but can also set minimum standards and norms for that type of organization.

Organizational Identity = Purpose + Philosophy – As a unit, the Purpose and the Philosophy are the central attributes of the Organizational Identity that have defined the character of the organization and the cause that it has served over the years. These elements of Organizational Identity serve as the basis for all aspects of the business.

Organizational Identity- From ‘Why we are’ to ‘Who we are – Organizational Identity also helps define the organization to Who Are We? And Why Are We?. Very few organizations actually know the answer to these questions – ’Who are we as an organization?’ ’What are we doing?’ ’What do we want to be in the future?’ An organization’s identity affects its actions, interpretation, and decision-making by its members and the management. This identity also has a huge impact on organizational change processes.

Is your identity given or created? | Marcus Lyon | TEDxExeter : Using Somos Brasil (We are Brazil), a multimedia photography, sound and DNA project, Marcus Lyon brings us images, stories and ancestral DNA to examine modern Brazilian identity. In turn he asks us to consider what drives us and what we can become.

IKEA is known as one organization that is strongly identified for the alignment of its organizational identity with its brand. For IKEA, its vision of creating a better everyday life for the many people also means making a difference for the people and communities where they work. The film – The IKEA Group – The Story of How We Work – lets you know more about how.

Finally, here is a Management system model to achieve sustained success

We will now turn to our regular sections:

For the present episode we have picked up Joshua Spodek’s article The 20/80 Rule, Integrity, and the Opposite of the 80/20 Rule @ Leadership Step By Step column of Management Matters Network….Vince Lombardi says that paying attention to details always pays, i.e. paying attention to the last few percent. When you care about the 1 percent that others don’t, people look to you to lead. It is more important to get every detail right than getting it right most of the time.

We now watch one of the latest ASQ TV  episodes:

  • Risk Intelligence for the Organization – Sanjeev Koshe, Vice President, Management Assurance Group, Tata Housing Development Company Limited, explains how to go beyond brainstorming identify risk, measuring it, and how best to deliver a risk report.
  • Big Data – discusses Big data, data analytics, and predictive modeling, and how organizations and quality professionals can use all three. Additional reference – The Deal With Big Data

Jim L. Smith’s Jim’s Gems posting for October, 2018 is:

  • Pursuit of Excellence – Like the old story of the race between the tortoise and the hare, it’s the slow, steady and continuous pursuit of excellence that wins the race, not the flashy sprint that can’t be sustained. Experience has taught me to believe that sustainable improvement requires an organizational culture change. Continuous improvement is more about rigor and discipline than technique. It is about the pursuit of excellence.

I look forward to your inputs / criticisms/ observations to enhance the utility of our Quality Management Blog Carnival.

Note: The images depicted here above are through courtesy of respective websites who have the copyrights for the respective images.

Carnival of Quality Management Articles and Blogs – September, 2018

Welcome to September, 2018 edition of Carnival of Quality Management Articles and Blogs.

In our present September, 2018 issue, we will expand the new principle –  Risk Based Auditing –  propounded in ISO 19011: 2018  We have found a few good articles on this subject from the field of financial auditing, too.

What is risk-based auditing? – Meaning, process and importance of risk-based auditing has presented the subject in a non-technical language.

Risk-based Auditing – Staying vigilant to change and risk is a top priority of good corporate governance and the internal audit function. In his latest InternalAuditor.org video blog, IIA President and CEO Richard Chambers discusses the risk-based audit approach, including three components of risk-based auditing and three strategies for monitoring risk.

Managing Risks in Management Systems Auditing Frameworks – Jacob McLean

ISO 19011: 2018 version now explicitly focuses on Risk-based auditing – or focusing audit effort on matters of significance to the management system.

Exploring the revised ISO 19011:2018 – Hope Kiwekete

  • This time around, appreciation of the risk-based approach will essentially be a critical determinant when scheduling, conducting and reporting of audits.

This will prompt auditors to overcome the dilemma of hastily jumping into auditing without familiarising themselves with the means that management uses to control their functions.

  • As shown in figure 1, clause 5.3: Determining and evaluating audit programme risks and opportunities, forms part of audit programme process.
  • The planning of the audit (clause 6.3) also raises the bar up and makes use of high degree of professional judgement by the internal auditor now a very important attribute of the auditor.
  • There has been a significant improvement on what constitutes essential competencies that management-systems’ auditors need to possess or acquire. Hence auditors need to continually upskill and remain relevant while adding value to their clients.

Incorporating Risk-Based Thinking into Internal Quality Audits for ISO 9001 – In this webinar by expert speaker Duke Okes will explain how to use risk-based thinking in the quality management system. You will get simple tools for assessing risks within a QMS process. Further, you will understand how to report audit nonconformities from a risk-based perspective.

We will now turn to our regular sections:

For the present episode we have picked up Jim Champy’s article Keeping it Simple

@ Essential Management for Doers, Doubters and Darers column of Management Matters Network….One of Peter Drucker’s great virtues was the simplicity with which he articulated management principles. For instance: he defined “strategy” as: (1) understand where your company is today; (2) where you want it to go; and (3) how you are going to get there. Here are some rules that spell importance of simplicity and directness in presenting ideas and communicating them to others:

  1. Know what you’re talking about
  2. Forget the jargon and code words
  3. Own your ideas
  4. Make your ideas real

We now watch one of the latest ASQ TV  episodes:

  • Blockchain and Quality – One of the terms you often hear when discussing Quality 4.0 or Industry 4.0 is blockchain. Maybe its most well-known use currently is for bitcoin, the crypto-currency. But what is blockchain exactly and how does it, or will it, relate to the quality industry? Let’s take a look.

“Quality and Innovation with Blockchain Technology”, Software Quality Professional Magazine, 2017

“Blockchain for Supply Chain: Improving Transparency and Efficiency Simultaneously”, Software Quality Professional Magazine, 2018

  • Digital Transformation – When we hear terms like Industry 4.0 and Quality 4.0, they may seem too broad for you and your organization to be able to take any specific action. Where do you start? One place to start is by doing what’s called a digital transformation.

Quality Experience Telemetry

Jim L. Smith’s Jim’s Gems posting for August, 2018 is:

  • Commit to Success – Success requires discipline, hard work, perseverance, tenacity, will, courage and faith. It’s the quality of their commitment that separates the good players from the great ones. People who are committed to success are willing to do whatever it takes, as long as it doesn’t harm anyone else. Everything they do reflects their commitment.
  • Creativity – The mind is like any other muscle: the more we use it, the stronger it gets. Creativity is simply doing something differently. Bottom line, if we want to be more creative, all we have to do is increase our idea failure rate.

I look forward to your inputs / criticisms/ observations to enhance the utility of our Quality Management Blog Carnival.

Note: The images depicted here above are through courtesy of respective websites who have the copyrights for the respective images.