The People Dimension: Managing the Transition to World-Class Manufacturing

Rating:
Summary: Helps Treat the Difficult U.S Tossed Salad Workforce.
Review: Davis states in 'Fast Track to Waste Free Manufacturing': "The real purpose of Lean Manufacturing is to enlist the workforce in driving waste out of an operation."
From this statement we infer the critical nature the topic of 'The People Dimension' plays in the lean transformation. The people problems faced in implementing lean are rarely treated in any depth in Lean literature. In my opinion, these people problems are the "soft underbelly of implementing lean manufacturing in the U.S." A case in point. G.M. determined early in the 1980's that it's products were not competitive in price and quality with Toyota's products. G.M. then entered into a joint venture with Toyota (New United Motors Manufacturing Inc. - NUMMI) in order to learn the Toyota Production System (TPS) in exchange for providing a U.S. distribution channel to Toyota. Now, twenty years later, G.M. still has not involved it's workforce in continuous improvement activities to the extent Japanese auto makers routinely are able to do.
BUT YOU SAY - Toyota's American workers are just as productive as their native Japanese workers - NOT SO. The cycle time for the average Toyota product in America is still twice as long as that in a Toyota Japanese plant.
THE POINT IS, the homogeniety and dedication of the Japanese worker is such that the U.S. domestic car maker may never be able to match the price/quality of the Japanese made automobile.
Lean manufacturing processes require empowering the worker. Unless the worker is prepared and committed to taking on additional required responsibilites, the lean transformation will ultimately fail.
Recardo and Peluso's book 'The People Dimension' treats the difficulty that the U.S. 'Tossed Salad' workforce presents to the lean transformation effort.
No where else have I found topics such as: The communication strategy, Targeted education programs, Self directed work teams, Skill based pay systems (SBP). and especially, Organizational change management, treated as adroitly and fully in a lean model as they are treated in 'The People Dimension'.
This book is definitely one of a kind and works for me.

Relevance to the lean practitioner 7/10
Relevance to the lean manager 9/10
Clarity and organization 9/10
Original content 10/10