Manufacturing Knowledge Base

Front-line employees see many problems and opportunities that their managers don't, but most organizations fail to tap into this extraordinary potential source of revenue enhancement and savings--generating ideas. The book, "Ideas Are Free" sets out a roadmap for integrating ideas and idea management into the way companies are structured and operate. It shows how to take advantage of this virtually free, perpetually renewing font of innovation. The accompanying eight videos, which complete the package, include:

* What is an Idea? shows how the secret to success in lean production is the ability to get large numbers of employee ideas.

* The Power of Small Ideas demonstrates how large numbers of small ideas can accumulate into a significant cushion of sustainable competitive advantage.

* What About Rewards for the Ideas? explores what motivates people to offer ideas, and what types of recognition and rewards work.

* Making Ideas a Central Part of Work explains how "lean leaders" make ideas explicitly part of everyone's job.

* The Characteristics of a Good Process reveals the eight characteristics a manufacturer can use to handle large number of ideas efficiently cost effectively.

* Focusing Ideas on What Matters Most shows how focusing employee thinking actually results in more and better ideas.

* Getting More and Better Ideas demonstrates proven approaches to getting more and better ideas.

* Liberating and Transforming: Employee Ideas and Lean Culture shows how lean leaders have use idea systems to develop high-performance cultures.

Total Length: 5 hours and 40 minutes