Introduction, News & Agenda
Show navigation above ▲
Sponsors Intro & News▼ Info
Advertising?
 
What is business-improvement.eu?
Business-improvement.eu is one of the very few (if not the only!) completely independent1 knowledge platforms about business improvement methods, without prejudice of which method is best. So this website is about Lean, but also about Six Sigma, TOC, QRM and TPM!  Owner and editor-in-chief is business-journalist Dr Jaap van Ede. Unique is, that almost all information provided here was also published in objective specialist journals about continous improvement, in the form of case studies.

Business-improvement.eu, launched in 2010, is a sister site of procesverbeteren.nl. This is a much older, more comprehensive and already very popular site in Dutch. In the course of time, functionality and content of this site will increase. Follow our progress by subscribing to our free newsletter below!
[ Intro contin'd - overview ] [ Mission ]  [ Free Newsletter ]  [ Free Registration ]
News
█ august 23, 2010:  site-section Lean
Toyota returns to its roots:  Listen, stop, think, improve

Toyota brand
       ^ CEO Akio Toyoda: "My name is on every car"

The Toyota Production System (TPS) is the shining example of Lean Manufacturing, though it should be kept in mind that this system is tailored to the needs of Toyota, so that it can't be copied without adaption.
Recently, for the first time during its existence, the TPS became the target of serious criticism! The recalls by Toyota of more then eight million cars to replace floor mats and to adjust accelerator pedals, lead to many news reports like ‘Lean Fires Back’.

Do the recent recall-problems of Toyota really disqualify the famous Toyota Production System (TPS)? No, on the contrary, they are a sign that a revival of the TPS is requisite!

And precisely that seems what Toyota is doing today. They return to their roots: deep self reflection, listen to the customers’ voice to make increasingly better products, and, if any problems are observed: stop, think and make improvements.

In this article our extensive analysis, including a response by Toyota Motor Europe.

> more*
    *) to read this article free registration is needed (we will respect your privacy)
█ august 16, 2010:  site-section general//news
Official launch of this website, business-improvement.eu!



Looking way ahead, in 2006 we already reserved the domain name business-improvement.eu to translate (at least parts of) the in Holland very popular website procesverbeteren.nl in English.
Because we were so busy with developing our Dutch site, English readers had to wait a long time before they could visit our independent knowledge platform about business improvement methods like Lean, Six Sigma, TOC, QRM and TPM. However, today we are ready to fulfill their need!

We hope you enjoy using our website, and if you have any comments, please do not hesitate to contact us
█ Latest forum messages:
Using our forum is for free. [ Please login first ]

Untitled Document
  • Why is green not on your (lean) value stream map yet?
          Jaap_Business-improvement.eu
          Mon Oct 24, 2011 4:25 pm
  • Welcome to our website
          Jaap_Business-improvement.eu
          Mon Oct 24, 2011 4:16 pm
    •  
    █ Our latest book reviews:
    1. Creating Magic, by Lee Cockerell (dec '09)
    2. The Lean Manager, by Freddy and Michael Ballé (nov '09)
    3. The Choice , by Eli Goldratt (feb '09)
    █ Overview of the main site-sections (chapters):
    On this site you will find information about the possibilities and limitations of the most important process management methods, see our mission.
    All continuous improvement approaches described here were originally developed in the US or in Japan, be it from different perspectives. Namely logistics for Lean, TOC and QRM, quality for Six Sigma and productivity for TPM.
    On this site each approach is characterized by one phrase, like 'the value adding organization' for Lean, and 'the perfect organization' for Six Sigma, see the overview below. After entering one of these site-sections, articles in the same section can be found using a yellow sub-menu on the upper-left of each page.

    Lean (manufacturing):    the value adding organization
    TOC:          the unlimited organization
    QRM: the cellular organization
    Six Sigma: the perfect organization
    Lean Six Sigma :         the value adding & perfect organization
    TPM:    the smooth organization
    WorldClass:  the value adding & smooth & perfect organization
    Lead & Change:    the changing organization
    Mission
    █ Our Mission:
    Our mission is twofold:

    1. Providing information about business improvement, to stimulate knowledge transfer.
    Business-improvement.eu and procesverbeteren.nl both provide completely independent1 and unbiased information about áll methods to improve the efficiency, quality and flexibility of production and business processes. Focus is on business-cases, of which most were also published in specialist journals about logistics, quality and maintenance. The idea is to transfer knowledge about best practises from one company to another, and also to transfer knowledge between different industry sectors, e.g. from manufacturing to hospitals.

    Each company struggles with the same question: How can I provide – at lowest possible costs and with an acceptable delivery time – products or services that add maximum value for my customers? All methods on this site, Lean, Six Sigma, TPM etc, address this problem. Although it is often thought that implementations of these methods can be copied form one company to another (like a template), this is definitely not a good idea. The reason for this: Take for example the application of TPM within Unilever. Their approach evolved during the years to a company-specific improvement method, tailored to their specific needs, also including aspects of other methods like Lean and Six Sigma. Therefore the idea is not to copy approaches on this site, but to see these as suggestions, which might work in your own organization.

    In conclusion: this site helps to generate ideas, e.g. about which method to start with when you are new to continuous improvement. Companies further on their way are served with suggestions about how to mix different methods, to compose an organization improvement system tailored best to their needs.

    2. Acting as an intermediary
    When an organization needs help to implement a certain improvement approach, they might contact one of the consultancy firms listed with their banners in the margin of each article. (a list of these sponsors with some background information provided by them can also be found via the sub-menu of each site section)
    Since these consultancy firms sponsor one or more site-sections chosen by themselves, a fit between the approach described in an article and the knowledge of the consultancy firms listed in the margin of that article is likely. However, as said before, this is a completely independent1 site. So, we cannot garantuee in any way the quality of the services provided by the listed consultancies, nor do we make any judgement about which firm would suit your company best.

    In time, more interactive functionalionality and many more case descriptions will be added to this site, as was done earlier on the Dutch sister site procesverbeteren.nl.

    1) As you will notice, sponsors/advertisers have banners on our site. These parties do pay us to be present, but are not in any way related to us, nor can these sponsors/advertisers influence the content of our articles, see also our disclaimer. In adiition, every consultancy, hard- or software supplier is free to become a sponsor. With many other 'semi-independent' sites about business improvement this is not the case!

    Agenda
    > Add an item to our agenda (for free)

    █ august 26; sept 2, 9, 2010                              Also on:  november 4, 11, 18 (Boxmeer)
    Lean / TPM (3-day training):   Introduction Lean Manufacturing
    language: probably Dutch
    where:  The Netherlands,  Apeldoorn
    by :        TCPM

    █ august 27, 2010                              
    (Lean) Six Sigma (workshop):   CynTask & Six Sigma
    language: Dutch
    where:  Breukelen, Business University Nyenrode
    by :        Cynax

    █ august 30, 31; sept 15-17; oct 20-22; nov 17-19; dec 15-17, 2010
    Lean Six Sigma (training):  Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Training
    language: probably Dutch
    where: The Netherlands, Heemskerk
    by :        IBIS UvA

    █ september 7, 2010                        Also on nov. 2 (Boxmeer)
    Lean (training):   Lean Manufacturing in one day
    language: probably Dutch
    where: The Netherlands, Apeldoorn
    by :        TCPM

    █ september 9, 2010 (start)
    Lean (training):  Six day training Lean-in-action
    language: probably Dutch
    where: The Netherlands, Roden
    by :        Yno 10

    █ sept 9,10;  oct 7,8;  nov 11,12;  dec 9,10 2010
    Lean Six Sigma (training):  Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Training
    language: probably Dutch
    where: The Netherlands, Amsterdam
    by :        IBIS UvA

    █ sept 13,14,15;  oct 11-15;  nov 11-12;   nov 15-17;  dec 6-7;  dec 13-15, 2010
    Lean Six Sigma (training):   Black Belt training
    language: probably Dutch
    where: The Netherlands, Amsterdam
    by :        UNC Lean Six Sigma

    █ september 21, 2010 (start)           Also on/in :
                                                                     october 5 (start), Eindhoven
                                                                     october 19 (start), Enschede
    Lean Six Sigma (8-day training):  Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, univ. certif.
    language: probably Dutch
    where:  The Netherlands, Utrecht
    by :         Symbol BV

    █ september 23, 2010 (start)                      
    Six Sigma (opleiding):  Six Sigma Black Belt trainings (service & industry)
    language: probably Dutch
    where: The Netherlands, Breukelen
    by :        TriVision Advies

    █ september 23, 2010                      Also on nov 25.
    WorldClass (workshop):  Open Workshop WCM for management team
    language: probably Dutch
    where: The Netherlands, Best
    by :        Van Lente & De Vos

    █ september 27 and 28 , 2010            Also on :   november 1 and 2
    Lean Six Sigma (training):   Orange Belt training
    language: probably Dutch
    where: The Netherlands, Amsterdam
    by :        UNC Lean Six Sigma

    █ september 28 until 1 okt, 2010
    Lean / TPM (training):  Facilitator training TPM / Lean
    language: probably Dutch
    where:  The Netherlands, at guest company
    by:          Blokss Training en Consultancy

    █ september 29, 2010
    TOC (workshop):  TOC Inspiration Day
    language: probably Dutch
    where:  Belgium, Bornem
    by:         CMCB

    █ september 29, 2010 (start)
    Six Sigma (training):  Six Sigma Black Belt Training
    language: probably Dutch
    where: The Netherlands, Ede
    by:         Van Eekhout Consulting

    █ sept 29, 30;  oct 27, 28; 2010
    Lean (training):  Training Lean Management
    language: probably Dutch
    where: The Netherlands, Bussum
    by:         Accent Organisatie Advies

    █ october 12,19,26;  nov 9,16 en 23, 2010
    TOC (workshops):  TOC Thinking Tools
    language: probably Dutch
    where: Belgium, Bornem
    by:        CMCB

    █ october14, 2010 (start)
    Lean Six Sigma (training):   Upgrade GreenBelt to BlackBelt
    language: probably Dutch
    where: The Netherlands, Amsterdam
    by:        UNC Lean Six Sigma

    █ october 14 and 15, 2010         
    Lean Six Sigma (workshop):  Lean Six Sigma Leadership Training
    language: probably Dutch
    where: The Netherlands, Amsterdam
    by:         UNC Lean Six Sigma

    █ october 19, 2010 (start)
    Lean Six Sigma (14-day training):  Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, univ. certif.
    language: probably Dutch
    where: The Netherlands, Enschede
    by :        Symbol BV

    █ october 21, 2010 (start)
    Lean Six Sigma  (6-daagse opleiding):  Green to Black Belt Upgrade, univ. certif.
    language: probably Dutch
    where: The Netherlands, Enschede
    by:        Symbol BV

    █ november 4, 2010           
    Lean (workshop):  Lean Transformation, Lean Innovation & Smart Living
    language: probably Dutch
    where:  The Netherlands, Deventer
    by:          Lean Innovation Network
    Sponsors Intro & News▼ Info
    Advertising?
     
    Home
    (Dis)claimer
    © C.J. van Ede 2006-2010 (Holland)
    E-mail
    Last update: 23-08-2010
    Sitemap