Word: leaning
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...While Lean and Six Sigma have traditionally been applied to manufacturing, the Army is using them in administrative offices as well. Last year for the first time, Harvey began requiring precise monthly figures on how many employees the service had. Then he gave commanders the responsibility of scrutinizing every new hire. Largely through attrition, the Army recorded a mere 2.6% increase in civilian employees in 2005. And Harvey did his part: his office now has 30% fewer than when he took...
...officers are doing the same. General Ben Griffin, the head of Army Matériel Command--the service's central procurement organization for equipment--has dramatically cut the number of meetings, reports and briefings. He installed seven senior officers around the world, in part to track progress on Lean Six Sigma, and gets Army-wide operational updates every week by videoconference rather than in-person meetings. Griffin says his command alone saved $110 million last year, and military sources expect that to be doubled this year...
...least one backup for every critical spot. Red River is also stocking more parts and requiring better quality from suppliers. The changes are paying off: the facility can turn out 32 mission-ready humvees a day, compared with three a week in 2004; the Lean process has lowered the cost of repair for one vehicle from...
...large questions loom over the Army's efforts: Is Lean Six Sigma just a management fad? And can a system designed to maximize profits and market share work in an enterprise whose goal is national security? Says an analyst who studies government procurement: "How is the Army going to judge success? Cutting people or saving money is useful, but the challenge will be making sure all the changes are not only relevant to the soldier in the field but that there aren't negative impacts for war fighting." Some outside experts have also raised doubts about the Army's ability...
Even advocates of the Army effort recognize the challenge. Employees at all levels must adopt a new work ethic, learn new systems and often work harder, with no immediate rewards. At Red River, Evans asked his 300 supervisors to volunteer for intensive Lean Six Sigma training but felt that not enough embraced it, so last month he required attendance. "Ninety-nine percent of my folks are onboard, but a few have said they will retire rather than adopt the concept of Lean Six Sigma," Evans says...