Harvard Business Review

JUNE 10, 2011

An executive in the company's finance operations adopted a Six Sigma belt-driven approach to reduce costs in the company's global shared service centers. A senior operations leader I spoke to was skeptical that the quoted financial savings from Six Sigma projects, while valid, were having long-term effects on their cost structure.

Six Sigma 15

Six Sigma Bottom-up Cost Project 15

Harvard Business Review

MARCH 7, 2011

Two factors are conspiring to heighten concerns over rapid commoditization: price pressures from still budget-conscious customers, and market compression from more competitors (and more cut-throat competitors). Will These Trends Continue? These equate to a race to the bottom on price, and an inability to differentiate except on price.

Innovation 15

Innovation B2B Price Trends 15

Harvard Business Review

JULY 19, 2017

IT has long played a critical role in helping organizations deliver better products and services, improve operations, better manage risks, and develop new business models to stay relevant. Core technologies such as cloud, mobility, modern applications, and networks continue to evolve. That’s still true.

Technology 9

Technology Content Market Segmentation Business Model 9

Harvard Business Review

JUNE 11, 2014

Another endorsed “willingness to learn and adapt to changing environments,” and a third urged “adaptability, the ability to operate in multi-cultural environments and the openness to learn.” Another urged executives to “continue to educate themselves commercially, financially, and operationally.”.

360-Degree Feedback 10

360-Degree Feedback Self-aware Mentor Consultative 10

Harvard Business Review

JUNE 18, 2015

The Future of Operations. At a time when the customer end of the business model seems to be getting all the attention, executives must not neglect the equally important operations back end. This will inevitably have a significant impact on operations. Insight Center. Sponsored by GE Corporate.

System 8

System Enterprise Architecture Agility Operations 8

Harvard Business Review

OCTOBER 26, 2017

If sales need to be increased, that’s change management. If a merger needs to be implemented, that’s change management. If a new personnel policy needs to be carried out, that’s change management. If the erosion of a market requires a new business model, that’s change management.

Management 9

Management Kaplan Short-term Innovation 9

Harvard Business Review

OCTOBER 27, 2017

As strategies move from design to implementation inside the company, outside forces are continually changing: New competitors emerge, the economic and regulatory pictures shift, and customers have new demands. No strategy exists in a vacuum.

Strategy 9

Strategy Content Power Survey 9

Harvard Business Review

JUNE 5, 2014

“The phenomenal number of interacting parts, interacting people and continuing changes in technology mean that we will always have failures, full stop.” Managers coded their operations green at the first couple of meetings to show how well they were doing, but Mulally called them on it.

Root Cause Analysis 10

Root Cause Analysis Edmondson Industry CEO 10

Harvard Business Review

SEPTEMBER 4, 2015

As a result, we expect to see America’s leading companies leveraging what Mark Cuban calls the “spot market for intellect” for an increasing share of their needs. The increased difficulty of saving for retirement from continually changing benefits programs. This is already happening in some places.

Human Resources 8

Human Resources Bureaucracy Cost Wilde 8