Editor’s note: This is episode two in the Respect for People series. Click here for episode one.

This story was originally published by Knowable Magazine.

When my kids, ages 11 and 8, bang through the back door after school, often the first thing out of their mouths is: “Mom! Can we play Prodigy?”

How can industrial and manufacturing enterprises achieve better new product introduction (NPI), a critical element of operational excellence?

A few years ago, I was asked to conduct a workshop, deliver a keynote, and chair a three-day conference on manufacturing process excellence in Europe, produced by the Process Excellence Network (PEX

It was a year ago that our country lost one of its most well-known and respected mavericks in recent political history.

Across the United States, small and medium-sized manufacturers are contemplating integrating industrial robots into their facilities.

The internet has radically democratized the means of marketing cultural products.

Not long ago, we had a client inquire about virtual reality (VR) and quality training. VR and its close relative, augmented reality (AR), are hot technologies right now, not just in entertainment, but also in industry, including their use in training.

In principle, the mountaineer’s work is simple: “To win the game he has first to reach the mountain’s summit,” said George Mallory, who took part in Britain’s first three attempts on Everest during the 1920s. “But, further, he has to descend in safety.”

Ask any manager at a large organization why the purchasing department matters, and the first factor he will mention will probably be costs. But cost control, though a core competency, is far from the only way purchasing affects firm performance.