WCOM (World Class Operations Management): Why You Need More Than Lean

by Carlo Baroncelli (Editor), Noela Ballerio (Editor)

This book deals with World Class Operations Management (WCOM), detailing its principles, methods and organisation, and the results that this approach can bring about. Utilising real-world case studies illustrated by companies that have adopted this model (interviews with Saint-Gobain, L’Oréal, Tetra Pak, Bemis, and Bel Executives), it describes common patterns drawn from decades of hands-on experience, so as to present a theoretical approach together with the concrete application of its principles. WCOM, adopted by several multinational companies, is one of the more innovative management practises, as it integrates the best Continuous Improvement approaches (Lean, Total Productive Management, World Class Manufacturing) as well as the most innovative approaches in human dynamics like Change Leadership, Performance Behavior, Shingo Model, to name a few. Every book’s chapter has been authored by an expert in these different fields, thus revealing the synergy among the different practices, which is one of the distinguishing and successful aspects of WCOM Maximising reader insights into the successful implementation of such an approach, and explaining not only its potentialities, but also its implementation dynamics, the critical points and the ways it can be integrated into different situations, this book is also about how to create a culture of excellence that is sustainable over a long period of time and delivers consistent (or ever-improving) results.

Genres: Business

295 pages, Hardcover

Published May 13, 2016

Reviews

[Jimmacc · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book outlines some programs intended to make improvements beyond Lean and Six Sigma.

The most disappointing portion of the book is the first section, talking about case studies. Very little details are provided and no contrast is made between WCOM and the supporting/prior tools of Lean, TPM, and SixSigma. The book does make the point that the later tools are components of WCOM, but the specifics of the distinction are not entirely clear. Hard not to come away from reading the book without the impression that it is a very long winded advertisement for the EFESO consulting group.

The concept of Loss elimination process and continual alignment with KPI’s was done well. I also saw the “x” matrix for the first time here, which is a very nice tool for reinforcing project to KPI alignment.

Much of the rest of the book highlights the contributions of Shigeo Shingo, Ryuji Fukuyama, and John Kotter. Emphasis becomes how to look at behavioral wastes, although the book does not outline behavioral wastes as succinctly as one of the author’s does on LinkedIn. I found as much to learn from those references as I did from this book.

I learned enough from the book to believe it proves some good perspective. I would have enjoyed some more detail of comparisons, how this differed.

[Bob Gao · Rating 5 out of 5]

It iss world class summary of operation management