e - TRACC

StrategyLEAPFROG YOUR WAY TOWORLD CLASSAn innovative management system for implementing and sustainingcontinuous improvement (CI) methodologies.Glenn is the president of CCI Inc. (USA). He helped co-found CCI twenty five years agoand assisted in formulating and innovating the TRACC Management Solution.He has extensive experience in manufacturing strategy and implementing world classcompetitiveness philosophies and techniques. Glenn has consulted to numerous bluechip corporations in the USA, UK, Europe, Central America, Russia and Africa. He remainsclose to the TRACC innovation process as its footprint expands around the world.This white paper seeks to do a number of things. Firstly, it distinguishes three levels atwhich world class companies must manage knowledge and learning: execution level,systems level, and organisational transformation level. Secondly, it addresses aspects ofthe ‘holy grail’ of continuous improvement (the journey towards world class) and howto become a learning organisation. Sustainable transformation requires engagementat all levels as well as a management system that addresses the long-term, incrementalnature of culture-based change. Thirdly, it seeks to describe the evolutionary stages anddetails of continuous improvement (beyond the project level) and to situate these in anall-encompassing framework for a successful world class transition. It does so byaddressing the two primary paradigm shifts in operations management thinking sincethe Industrial Revolution (exemplified by Ford and Toyota) as well as aspects of Leanmanufacturing. Figure 1 illustrates the structural components of an effective IntegrativeImprovement System.The paper’s premise is that the long-termnature of the transformation requires a systemicapproach to managing such change. Featureswithin the system are identified and addressed in“The journey towards world classis long, arduous, and incremental.It is indeed a holy grail.”turn, describing these evolutionary stages and also details an all-encompassing frameworkfor a successful world class transition. Figure 2 shows five evolutionary stages of improvementfrom an expert-based approach through to an Integrative Improvement System that drivesculture-based improvement. Attaining each of these allows progressively increased returns.The paper describes the ways in which these evolutionary stages and features have beenbuilt into an all-inclusive system called TRACC. Companies starting the journey can use TRACCto leapfrog the decades of implementation experience required by companies like Toyotato develop their internal production systems. This will allow these companies to generateexponential savings and competitive advantage substantially sooner than those trying todevelop home-grown solutions.My proposition is that, without all the elements of the framework, the vision exemplified bythe CI journey will not be achieved.GLENN LEASKMultiple levels of learningWorld class companies successfully engage all employee levels to identify problems andthen ‘swarm over’ and solve these problems to build new knowledge. Companies seekingto do this must manage knowledge and learning on multiple levels at the:• execution level – how work is done• systems level – how effectively systems are used to prevent non-conformance• organisational transformation level – the process of creating culture-based changeThe journey towards world class is long, arduous, and incremental. It is indeed a holy grail.Leading companies that have successfully made this transition have done so over manyyears – often decades. While various methodologies used by some companies attemptingWGLL Journal Volume 2 © CCI info@etracc.net www.etracc.net