Manufacturing - You Cannot Be Serious!!!

When I read the outcomes of the Manufacturing Outlook from the View From The Q , my reaction was similar to that of tennis legend, John McEnroe.

YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS !!!

When business leaders blame the economy, they are implicitly absolving themselves from accountability. However it is interesting that in times of prosperity, these same business leaders take full credit for their success and reward themselves disproportionately.

In truth, there has never been a better time to operate a business.  The capabilities of technology, along with the increased sophistication and collaboration of many business participants and stakeholders, should be a source of optimism in the future.

When business claim that they can't find "good people" and can't afford to adopt any of the practices of Smart Manufacturing, one cannot help but identify the relationship.  Good people are attracted to companies and organizations that will have and provide reasonable chances of success and prosperity.  There are many interdependencies that not only attract good staff, but sustain and permit their continual growth within an organization.

According to the survey, almost 90% of those manufacturers surveyed have not experienced the improvements that Smart Manufacturing purports to deliver.  Conversely speaking, those manufacturers have embraced the status quo of retaining uninspired and moderately competent people, using obsolete and detrimental processes and technology solutions, to deliver manufactured solutions which frankly will not be competitive with the 10% of firms who employ good people, adopt Smart Manufacturing practices, and take steps to innovate and grow.

So these firms that are not adopting modern practices expect to hire more staff at higher wages?  YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS!!!  The relationship is clear and should be self-evident.

Consider that top companies like Apple, Honda, and Toyota didn't immediately make premium products.  Their initial prototypes were mocked by the established industry leaders of the day, and many pundits predicted their fall.  However while General Motors was distributing Corvairs with known safety hazards and paying their union employees high wages to literally sabotage productivity and innovation, organizations like Honda and Toyota were redefining the workplace and the expectations of employees.

Quality products emerge from quality organizations and quality systems, which originate from quality governance.  To those who expect a different outcome, YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS!!!