Operations

Lean services for differentiation

José Luis Fernández — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 09:43:32 +0000

We are used to see Lean practices linked to cost reductions which, if wrongly understood, may drive to a poorer service/product/system value proposition to customers.

Maybe, in the short term, we may feel happy with the savings and even pay bonuses without really noticing that we have damaged the quality, reduced features or functionalities appreciated and reduced the availability. These factors probably will lead us to reduce sales and customer base too.

If we look at the chart we can see a typical disease coming from a wrong resource utilization policy.

Lean practices use to be activated in the chart below sector 3, in order to help to liberate resources ravenously eaten from eager management styles.

What I pursue in our new discussion thread is how to expand successfully lean practices to the rest of sectors in order to fluently connect, speed and maximize resources..

The Hidden Decision Maker

Jesus Guerro — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:04:43 +0000

The way in which Organizations interact and communicate has dramatically changed not only in the technological media used but, moreover, in the number of points of contact established between them. Some years ago, only some specfic people appeared as interlocutor and whoever wanted to contact to the inner Organzition had to cross the ring. Today verybody is in the net and then everybody is achievable. This fact opens a new spectro for contacting essential roles of our potential customers for succeding in our apporach to it.

So the first thing should be trying to understand the model in which the Organization is built on. How business units and corporative services link inside to generate, implement or stabilize the business they run or they wish to run.

We also need to know the sectors and the scope in which its activity is focused. Which their aspirations consit of, as well as their challenges and constrains. To carry out this job, we need roguhly analyse the web page, and communications transmitted to different media, in order to better understand its current positioning and planned goals.

This research is crucial to aim the shoot.

Once we comprehend the internal organization and straegic situation, the key is to identify the decision maker. Sometimes he will be in the net, sometimes not. Sometimes he will be up, down or behind the person you have identified.

To push down all your effort over the wrong person can be exhausting and lamentably a waste of time. Often this first contact comes from another referal creating and some type of commitment which fails unworthy.

To properly identify the Decision Maker, we shall get closer to our objective. To get an appointment and collecting all the information necessary about the Organization, not only in terms of official Structure but also in terms of Internal Culture. The higher the degree of confidance we are able to trasmit, the better the result we obtain about that crucial information.

To waste a bullet with the wrong contact can become a door sealed and interesting collaboration projects can be missed in the folder.

All the work we make to identify the Decision Makers depending on what we want to purpose before deciding to contact will be never enough.

This concept is referable to product development actions as well as change proyect implementations. Without identifying, seducing and convincing decision makers, doors will remain closed, whatever will be our influencing purpose.

El Teletrabajo en el siglo XXI

Antonio Zabaleta — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:35:24 +0000

Se viene hablando mucho de la reducción de costes en la empresa en los últimos años. La cultura lean se introduce cada vez mas en el ADN de las empresas.

Por otro lado e teletrabajo se va instalando cada vez mas en las empresas con ventajas como la conciliación de la vida familiar y laboral, flexibilidad laboral, … y también del ahorro de costes para la empresa: espacio, suministros, transporte, …

Los requisitos necesarios para el teletrabajo son cada vez mas accesibles y a menor coste: penetración de la banda ancha en los hogares y también en la red móvil, redes sociales que facilitan las comunicaciones, telefonía móvil 3G, portátiles y software necesario, …

Esta situación esta provocando que el teletrabajo esté penetrando cada vez más el mundo laboral, y de forma más significativa en las grandes empresas

Esta claro que al final el teletrabajo esta muy influenciado por el sector y por los distintas funciones de los empleados/departamentos: la existencia de mecanismos de seguimiento y control de la productividad de cada función/departamento, la interacción con clientes externos/internos, … son algunas de las características que influyen en las posibilidades del teletrabajo

La pregunta clave es: es eficiente que aquellos trabajos en los que el empleado esta más del 95% de su tiempo operando con el ordenador en la oficina, comunicándose vía móvil/red, …: ¿podrían realizarlo en casa si así lo acepta el empleado? Como he comentado el control y la productividad son dos aspectos clave en este sentido, si bien hoy existen muchas formas y herramientas para el seguimiento: cuadros de mando, conexión en red, comunicación móvil, videoconferencias, …

Por otro lado, no veo que el teletrabajo deba ser una opción obligatoria para el trabajador, sino más bien voluntaria. Puede haber muchas causas que lleven al empleado a no aceptar el teletrabajo: no poder trabajar en casa por falta de espacio, ambiente en la casa, no se ve capaz, …Pero hay muchos casos donde el empleado ve mejorar la calidad de vida con esta forma de trabajar (ahorro tiempos de transporte, dedicación a la familia, …) y podría no solo mantener el mismo nivel productivo sino mejorarlo, beneficiándose de una mayor conciliación de la vida familiar la laboral, y reduciendo a la vez los costes para la empresa. Se trataría en estos casos de una situación win-win beneficiosa para ambas partes: la empresa y el empleado.

¿Que opinión tenéis respecto al teletrabajo?

¿Cuales son las claves?

¿Que dificultades veis en el cambio cultural?

¿Supone una reducción de costes significativa para la empresa?

S.O.S. TRAPPED IN MY JOB!

Jesus Guerro — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:59:59 +0000

It is not unsual to meet People who feel trapped in their work environment. After some years of company commitment they realize of years spent without a sensation of professional progress. They look backwards and they see a specialist without possibility of exit or generalist profile without possibility of entrance. Doubtless, the development of a succesful career is not an easy task. It is composed by many decisions and obviosuly multiple circumstances as well. To draw the path and walk the talk use to be more complicated than it seems. However we are responsible for managing our own value chain, adding wagons to the train while enlarging the power engine which opens the space. Enlarger and widen simultaneously.
The things we start doing in our careers tend to bias the next steps. Sometimes it is our disere, sometimes it is not. Whatever it was, it is important if we have the opportunity to observe all around first,to participate in later, and then, to rule some type of system, in order to understand the machine functioning at high performance and the different ways of making business.
To sculpture a professional profile is not always a pleasure adventure although however, it is our responsibility to make it as funny and interesting as possible.
Some people know what they want to be since the begining, and they transform their motivation in a profession. The tittle under the name in their cards is always the same. No matter the period elapsed. By contrast, for other people, what they want to be is something they go on discovering day after day. If you meet them from time to time, they always have something different to tell you and they are doing crazy different things since last time.
Both of two types of people can be excellent professionals and be happy in which they are doing, but they never can enter the others territory once they overcome some line.
To become a singular specilist is a safe option while the sector or technology of expertise survives on hot. To be a generalist and grow is never easy. Although the majority of management positions require advanced level in different disciplines, the trip to get there shall be supported by a strong core of particular expertise.
To become a complete profile is a highly appreciated virtue in the seniorest stages of a professional career. To rule as CEO or councellor for different Organizations. The question is how to survive till then. These guys are reinventing themselves every short periods of time. They get boring in what they are doing once the challenge is achieved and like to work by objectives oriented projects. They love start ups. But, though being amazing, it is a dangerous game to be addicted just to beginings. To cross those oceans they require open mind and essential drops of Talent and Courage becuase even the best Generalists feel sometimes in their mid-careers some kind of “lack of identity”…to be continuosly overcome.

Innovative operation / Operative Innovation

José Luis Fernández — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 11:58:48 +0000

In some strategy classes, when I try to talk about innovation some of my sources are Grant (Contemporary Strategy Analysis) and Moore (Dealing with Darwin). Both of them define the innovation linked to the industry/company/product lifecycle. This is good.

Product innovation, process innovation, strategic innovation evolves their share along these time-cycles. Innovation towards the product/customer/process excellence/renovation provides a lot of innovation areas to work through.

Other side of the coin comes from the organizational environment. Some classifications are made from those organizations innovation oriented vs those operations oriented. Differences are coming not only from the selection and kind of management, but also from the organization structure, processes and rewards methods. And some authors, as Hamel, call for innovate vs operate.

I would like to elaborate in our new thread about these questions.

How to insert and grow the seed of innovation in fully operation oriented environments?

How to increase the operative results in fully innovation driven environments?

How to merge innovation areas in potential break-through innovations?

How to alter and fine tune the natural share of innovation due to the lifecycle?

Which are the barriers?

GAMESA. SEEKING NEW STREAMS

Jesus Guerro — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 17:28:37 +0000

As that song by the 80s of Madrid nightlife said, today is “bad times for the lyric” If Spain boasted as world leader in production and installation of wind energy, it has surprised the launch of the news for Gamesa (the largest producer of mills in the country) of the application of an Employment Regulation Plan that affects more than 200 workers at plants of, Miranda de Ebro, Medina del Campo, Zaragoza and greater stress on the blade factory in Navarre with 150 workers, who will not go their jobs during the next 6 months.
The Plan that affects to 8% of the entire payroll is due to the dramatic fall in orders for windmills. Clavet, president of the Company, discharges against the government and blames the regulatory framework and the creation of Preassigning Projects Registration as the main bottleneck that has led to the current stoppage.

From other forums, others doubt about the economic feasibility and desirability of continuing to support with grants a type of energy generation being an example of cleaness throughout its entire life cycle, that is, not only in production but in the absence of toxic waste , but on the other hand not being sufficiently profitable in the short term to keep the defendant investment effort.
Not for nothing, it is also a cherished highlight, the falling demand in Europe for this type of installation.
So Clavet has not hesitated to proclaim, to keep the current regulatory system, a boost to its growth strategy, now aiming to build marine wind power generators. So its diversification strategy is focused towards the UK, a country which has provided huge budgets to the development of this type of electrical generation. Thus, Gamesa also diversifies risk and expands its portfolio of clients, providing more to companies such as RWE, EDF and EON, well positioned in the awarding of the bids of the crown. That frees the producer, at the same time, from a narrow relationship almost exclusively with the Spanish company Iberdrola Renovables.
The net turnover has been reduced by 16% over year end 2008, reaching 3.187 million euros.
However, it seems to be only a temporary measure as the company looks optimistic about the second half of the year when its production will be activated again thanks to the increasing demand coming mainly from the U.S. and China.

The New CIO

Jesus Guerro — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 02:13:51 +0000

The role of IT systems in the business world today, is no longer limited to supporting the operations of value, they can provide the value operations. Technology offers opportunities for differentiation and not only for those that run IT as core business.
The challenges facing the CIO today are very different from those of just 10 years ago. Although yet some CIOs run in a technical positioning and show reactiveness to User requests, they are close to say good bye.
The CIO of yeasterday saw only users and hated the feeling of being seen as Santa Claus. In other cases, he did not understand the message of the user and often with good reason. The CIO was a line of defense, a protective barrier of systems department, a workload regulator, a negotiator of time. The CIO used to think that he did not have to understand company’s strategic issues, that it was something only which concerned to the User. His responsibility was focused on technically validate the solution, allocate resources and prioritize, prioritize by application date.
The CIO of Yestarday had a highly technical profile, often he came from the programming, he began alone in the department os a mid-sized company and he knew very well what meant to work hard and never say No. The CIO of Yesterday had to leave, He was exhausted.
CIOs today face a challenge much more complex. Systems departments have become Shared Services Centers. Huge corporate platforms serving very different countries far away. The User is now a forbidden word, now he is called the Internal Customer.
The Internal Customer must be equipped with the best technological infrastructure capable of delivering optimal levels of service using just the resources needed.
Internal Customer can not be said No. There is No need. Today the CIO seats in the great table. He is an important piece on the board. Everything is done with consensus and planning. Everyone knows what the goals are and which the priorities.
The CIO of Today not only has a recognized expertise, he is primarily a manager and a creative, he has the ability to understand the keys of the strategy and propose competitive advantages from his area.
The CIO of Today must learn to do almost all of what his company colleagues’ do-
He is responsible for significant volumes of purchases in SW and HW, he makes financial budgets and understands the Cash Flow Concept and Controls it.
The CIO of Today is responsible for interviewing and hiring new professionals who are entering his area. He shall dominate both psychology and good touch when dealing with people. He must decide when to assign internal resources or contracting out services negotiating with consulting firms..
And of course, the CIO of Today must rule Selling when it is his turn. Workshops or presentations have to be showed on to the client either internal or external.
Of course he requires fluent English and having experience in multi-country project management. A high level of organization and multifunctinal teams leadership.
The CIO of today is no longer a defensive weapon, by contrast he becomes a weapon of innovation, he doesn´t react, he actives on, he does not only implement, he makes proposals and leads the change.

WEB 2.0. ALL CARDS FACE UP!

Jesus Guerro — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 17:14:24 +0000

2.0? why all people is increasingly talking about it? So, what 1.0 was about?
With no question, the term is being adopted by more companies every day as a symbol of its symbiosis with the new era.
However, all of we are not totally clear about what this concept encompasses even although most of us compound an organic part of its nature.
So, what 2.0 really means? What is or was then 1.0? In which the step forward consists of?
The Web 1.0. represented the birth of the Internet, the ability to publish from a repository, information open to an infinite number of users with direct visual access to such information from any network connection. Thus companies found a channel not only economic in its structure but with a sales and communication to users potential unknown until then.
In Web 2.0, the flow is reversed, the user is no longer a taxpayer who consults information, to become an active agent, someone with possibility to create his/her own space “or microenvironment” from which sending, receiving, or in short, interacting, with other agentes of the network in real time.
Thus the Internet moves from being one film screen to be a theater scenario. Its members go from spectators to on live actors.
So that, social networks were born. There, the user decides who wants to be part of their microenvironment, who wants to reach to and which is message and purpose.
Some social networks like facebook, myspace or twenti have a recreational purpose, ie making friends or contacting with old counterparts or classmates. Others, like linked-in, Infolancer or Xing maintain a clear professional purpose. In the first, users share their hobbies, by contrast, in the second, their career achievements and professional concerns.
If we´d imagine the network as a sphere, in web 1.0 environments, information would be in the center itself, in its core. However W2.0 is a centrifugal energy, information is pushed to the surface, to the crust. Everything is in the foreground.
Knowledge Management is precisely this. We move from a competitive environment where information “is hidden” as a treasure to a new paradigm where information “is communicated” like a treasure.
It makes sense. The easy and widespread accessibility to information along with the shortening of the technological cycles of products forces firms to decide to stop paddling upstream. Thus, they must align with the new trend and become exporters of information; this is how they gain attractiveness to their suppliers, customers and most importantly, their employees. No longer any person will be “anavailable”. Through 2.0 environments, employees have continuous visibility to whom might want to hire their services.
Certainly, Retaining Talent is still today, one of the greatest challenges that companies will have to face in this new decade.
Marketing strategies also change in the new paradigma. Corporations no longer take over the network. In deed, an important portion is shared only between people; going beyond their area of influence. This phenomenon by which the bulletin board is broken into multiple atoms, forces companies to innovate on how they want to reach their Target. Well understood, however, this is a job already done in terms of Marketing Research. Users create their own segments through thematic forums and blogs, offering the companies the opportunity to focus with precision the impact of the message.
In this context, adapting to this new philosophy is a crucial organizational work for companies. The younger generations comes with an natural born 2.0 mind-set and moreover, unwilling to adapt theiselves to old structures. Entities should take note, because time never goes backward.
Web 2.0 is somehow the new popular revolution. Somehow it represents ”The Invasion of the Individual”.
A new playing table in which all cards are face up….are you ready to play?

TOYOTA y la coherencia.

José Luis Fernández — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 10:38:01 +0000

Pinche aquí para ver el vídeo

Hoy en el mundo aparecía esta noticia relacionada con el tema TOYOTA:
http://www.elmundo.es/america/2010/0…266283488.html
Al menos 34 muertos en EEUU por los vehículos defectuosos de Toyota
Desde que la marca anunció defectos en sus coches han crecido las denuncias
Toyota deberá comparecer el 24 de febrero en audiencias en Washington

El tema es grave.
Ahora os tengo que dejar porque me voy a que me cambien el cuadro de mandos digital de mi modesto scenic (Renault) de repente se apaga y te quedas ciego. (No ves ni velocidad, ni gasolina, ni ningún tipo de indicador).
Proceso de la reparación. Sustituir el cuadro. Coste superior a 700€, una bromita.
Al entrar en los foros de internet me doy cuenta de que soy uno más de los miles de damnificados por un problema que probablemente sea de diseño y que en ningún caso se había comunicado públicamente. (Que yo sepa)
3 apuntes:
La marca hace el agosto vendiendo piezas de sustitución.
Internet como punto de encuentro de clientes capaces de desnudar los comportamientos de las marcas
La coherencia de las marcas en función de las pérdidas potenciales

Compensation & Benefits. A Well Recognised Profession.

Jesus Guerro — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:45:13 +0000

Compensation and Benefits leaders are reponsible for aligning the rewarding systems with business strategy purposes while keeping workforce highly motivated along the whole Organization.
C&B Leaders are required to be Complet Professionals with global vision and knowledge.
As companies become global these professionals must demonstrate consensus negotiation skills acting as corporate staff. C&B Divisions are somehow independent from the natural matrix of Human Recources in Global Organizations, where rewarding models need to be designed for diverse geographical areas in which even, different operations may take place.
C&B managers require being close to the upper guidelines prescriptors, to understand the keys for success and to posses the skills to aim rewarding policies according to those finalities. This is one of the reasons why C&B Directors demands plenty of seniority.
Conpensation & Benefits Positions is obviously directly related to Budgeting Constrains and therefore to Finance Department. To properly understand the impact of bonus or variable payments in economical terms is essential.
The Rewarding Plans are concerned with short, middle and long term, so that understanding the expected evolution of the company and the leverage applied in every stage.
C&B leaders not only require analisys skills but also the determiantion and personal gifts to implement the plan in armony.
To establish objectives is not an easy task. Totransmit the merits intended by the company without incurring in conflicts is a hard job. Many companies fail when they incentive departmental or individual performance based on factorX ratio without considering the impact the way in which that guy or department is performing, in his/its collegue or on the company as a whole. However it seems complicated to reward just on corporate results basis maintaing the workforce turned-on.
The Communication of these plans is also a strategic matter. Sometimes they are supported by a Change Management Project or sometimes they claim the participation of Unions and here ruling Law is a preimium asset.
C&B leaders are well recognised inside the Organization. To achieve a Direction in a Global Company use to be necesssary to have worked in the field during 10-15 years with at least the half involved in international affairs. The natural previous step is a Manager in a similar company or a Direction in a smaller one. The next one, is a General Human Resources Direction.
Ii is not common yet to meet Managing Directors promoted from the Human Resources Arena but maybe this trend change some day, maybe as communicating people becomes the best competitive advantage possible…