Chapter 3: Creating the Vision and Seeing it through to Fruition

Chapter 4: Setting Objectives Why Customer Expectations Matter

Chapter 5: Changing Paradigms with Leadership and Expertise

Chapter 6: Applying Business Best Practices Focus, Alignment, and Speedy Implementation Help to Reap Benefits

Chapter 7: Evaluate Contractors' Unit Rates

Chapter 8: Benchmarking

On my first day at work in this company, I met my boss, the General Manager of Production (GM). My position had been vacant for a year, during which time the head of the production planning department had been managing it. During this interim period, a number of issues had arisen, which the GM listed for my action. When he finished, I requested a three-week vacation, and he nearly fell off his chair! I explained that I would come to work, but wished to be free of executive responsibility in order to evaluate the current situation for myself. This review would help me identify the expectations of all the stakeholders, including the people on the shop floor but I did not share this thought with him.

The review would give me a first-hand impression of the current status. From these inputs, I would produce a master plan. Each item in the master plan would be a separate project, with its goals, cost, time, and resource estimates. When...