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COMMUNICATOR

October 2008

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A newsletter of the Work in Northeast Ohio Council (WINOC)

and

The Northeast Ohio center for Labor Management Cooperation at WINOC 

This Issue:

Economic Leadership in the Great Lakes Region... according to a Brookings report the Great Lakes region is on the frontlines of global restructuring.

Economic Leadership in Ohio... the Ohio Department of Development's Strategic Plan.

Economic Leadership in Greater Cleveland... the Greater Cleveland Partnership Strategic Plan, the Entrepreneurs for Sustainability (E4S) network and WINOC.

Green Policy... 50% of companies now have a Green Policy, do you?.

Ohio AFL-CIO Rapid Response Program... the latest from this Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services Office of Workforce Development imitative.

Labor Management Practices in Northeast Ohio... a Fund for Our Economic Future study of the effects of labor management practices on regional competitiveness.

The Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC)... an industry-led training, assessment and certification system.

Lean Productivity Breakfast at Hose Master... WINOC cosponsored with WIRE-Net a September 23rd Lean Productivity Breakfast at Hose Master..

China... A first hand report about a rapidly growing global competitor.

Quality Tools: Theory of Constraints... examining major issues, themes or trends methodically.

COQ: The Ineffective Meeting... wherever you are in your Lean Journey  this is probably still a problem... and maybe presents major risks to your business.

The Northeast Ohio Center for Labor Management Cooperation... see side panel.

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Economic Leadership in the Great Lakes Region

The Great Lakes Economic Initiative for the Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookings published a report in March 2008 entitled The Vital Connection: Reclaiming Great Lakes Economic Leadership in the Bi-National US-Canadian Region. This report, which can be found here in its entirety, presents a comprehensive report covering the description, history, current transitional challenges and assets of the Great Lakes Region plus presents a blueprint for future prosperity for the region.

For a review of regional attributes/assets, the recommended blueprint for regional economic leadership and the conclusions of the report continue below.

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Economic Leadership in Ohio

The Ohio Department of Development's (ODOD) Strategic Plan for economic leadership in Ohio, entitled Ohio, Home of Innovation and Opportunity, " is a bold, practical, and forward-thinking plan to change the trajectory of Ohio's economy by purposefully redesigning our business climate to increase the global competitiveness of Ohio's employers."

The plan, which can be found here in its entirety, embraces five main approaches: Share the Ohio Story, Strengthen our Strengths, Cultivate Top Talent, Invest in our Regional Assets, and Focus on our Customers. For a summary of the strategies and initiatives associated with each theme, and the role that WINOC plays in each, please read on below.

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Economic Leadership in Greater Cleveland

In our April 2008 COMMUNICATOR we shared with our readers the 2008-2011 Strategic Plan of the Greater Cleveland Partnership. You can read the full plan here.

The 2008-2011 Plan calls for accomplishing seven major objectives: advocate with one voice, advance small businesses success, accelerate economic inclusion, build a high-impact and sustainable economic development system, change the face of Cleveland, strengthen global connections, and initiate a demand-driven talent system. Note the high synergy between these objectives and the goals of the ODOD Strategic Plan. The approach to achieving these objectives is to recognize that place matters, to leverage our assets and to form new partnerships.

Two regional organizations that are working to promote economic leadership in Greater Cleveland and northeast Ohio are the Entrepreneurs for Sustainability (E4S) network and WINOC. [Continued below.]

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Developing Your Company's Green Policy

Going Green can reduce your energy costs, increase worker productivity, reduce your operating costs and, of course, reduce Greenhouse Gases. And for companies that have a Green Policy and an effective Sustainability Plan, these benefits yield higher profits and higher share price!

It has been reported that 50% of companies now have a Green Policy. If you are among the 50% that have not gone Green yet, here is a link to a free online guide for greening your company and your supply chain...  Practical Guide to Developing a Successful Corporate Sustainability Program, complements of Waste Management.

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Workforce Development Rapid Response

The Ohio AFL-CIO has been awarded a grant by the Strickland administration to administer and implement a statewide Workforce Development Rapid Response program. The program is designed to support a series of activities to assist in layoff aversion, improve services to laid off workers, advance the competitiveness of manufacturing firms in the state, retain jobs in the sector and to connect labor with the public workforce system. For a description of how Rapid Response works please read on.

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Regional Competitiveness: Labor Management Relations, Workplace Practices and Workforce Quality

WINOC Trustee Jack Kleinhenz of Kleinhenz & Associates, is undertaking a project for the Fund for Our Economic Future regarding labor management relations, workplace practices and workforce quality as they relate to regional competitiveness. Based on findings from a Phase I literature search, the project will be investigating issues such as how unions affect wages and productivity, how productivity improvement and job security relate, what are the specific benefits of labor management collaboration, and how unions are serving regional economic development.

Interesting findings of the Phase I literature search include these:

• Union plants have up to 3% higher productivity.

• Best training outcomes result from programs that are jointly managed by unions and management.

• Unions have built-in communications across plants and processes, making them better able to judge and apply new concepts.

• High-trust networks and coalition building capabilities can aid to regional economic development.

For inquiries contact Kleinhenz & Associates.

[Note: WINOC and others are planning a Labor Workforce Conference for the Spring of 2009. Look for details in the January 2009 COMMUNICATOR.]

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Manufacturing Skill Standards Council

The manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC) is an industry-led training, assessment and certification system focused on the core skills and knowledge needed by the nation’s production workers. The nationwide MSSC System, based upon federally-endorsed national standards, offers both entry-level and incumbent workers the opportunity to demonstrate that they have mastered the skills increasingly needed in the high-growth, technology-intensive jobs of the 21st century. 

The Northeast Ohio Center for Labor Management Cooperation

(NEOCLMC)

at

WINOC

 NEOCLMC Mission

Our mission is to serve business, labor, government and academia in order to improve the economic climate and competitive position of companies and organizations throughout the state with a focus on Northeast Ohio. This mission is accomplished by helping organizations improve productivity and quality through employee involvement and cooperation.

 NEOCLMC Services

Labor Management Participation Training

Employee Involvement Programs

Labor and Lean Training

High Performance/Self-Directed Work Teams

Team Leader & Facilitator Training

Supervisor and Lead Person Training

Group Problem Solving

 = = = = = = =

WINOC receives funding from the Ohio Department of Development (ODOD) Ohio Labor-Management Cooperation Program (OLMCP) to operate the Northeast Ohio Center for Labor Management Cooperation.

==================

For further information on Programs and Events contact us at

Progrms@winoc,org

For programs and events of sponsored by WINOC Partners, go  to our Partner News and Events page. 

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The MSSC System awards a “Certified Production Technician (CPT)” credential to individuals who pass all four Production modules: Safety; Quality Practices & Measurement; Manufacturing Processes & Production; and Maintenance Awareness. Applicable to all sectors of manufacturing, the MSSC goal is to credential 40% of the production workforce over the next 10 years—a strategy providing manufacturers with a sufficient pool of skilled production workers well into the future.

The MSSC’s vision is to equip America’s workforce with the high-performance knowledge and skills necessary to boost the productivity, innovation, and competitiveness of U.S. manufacturers.

See also our article on "Skill Standards for Future Workers" in the January 2008 COMMUNICATOR, where you will find the Four Tier Framework for worker competencies needed in the 21st century.

Find more information about MSSC here.

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Lean at Hose Master Inc

Since 1982 Hose Master Inc. has been a leader in the flexible metal hose market. John Baker, head of production, doesn't put much stock in labels like "Lean." What matters to John are the people and increasing output while decreasing input.

In early 2007, in Hose Master's 250,000 square foot plant, John implemented a process improvement plan incorporating tools like 6S, Safety & Maintenance, Value Stream Mapping and Mistake-Proofing. Since then, it has spread through two operations teams, with a third just starting up.

Using a "Playbook" for self-directed teams to adjust the day's tasks to meet the needs of the customer first and available resources, like people, second, Hose Master has seen order turnaround decrease, fabricating led time decrease and on-time shipments increase. 

A tour for over 50 attendees was cosponsored by WINOC and WIRE-Net on September 34, 2008.

For more information, including Hose Master's Quality Layout Model, you can contact WINOC or contact WIRE-Net.

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A Trip to China by Bob Meyer, Vice Chairman of WINOC and Executive Director of the Northeast Ohio Center for Labor Management Cooperation

This past June, I had the great opportunity to travel to China with a group of about 150 students and adults. The group was sponsored by the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony (directed by Daniel Meyer).

We visited several major cities such as Beijing, Shangri and Hong Kong and a few other industrial and tourist areas.

Besides enjoying the performance of the symphony, I was very impressed with the amount of development and construction I saw. In each of the large cities, there were 25+ high-rise structures going up to accommodate not only office space, but apartments for the influx of rural workers coming into the cities.

Their airports were very modern, and many highways seem fairly new. Numerous new factories (many being familiar U.S. names) were also observed.

It struck me that the China I saw was quickly embracing capitalism and was already a significant global competitor to the U.S. They appeared to be moving forward with the economic development at lightning speed.

The trip left me in awe and reminded me of all the work we need to do back home to try to stay competitive.

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Quality Tools: Theory of Constraints

Given the articles on economic leadership in this issue of the COMMUNICATOR, it might be timely to introduce/review a quality tool that is appropriate for analyzing some of the economic trends that were cited. Such a tool is Theory of Constraints.

 Eliyahu M. Goldratt, author of The Goal, treats the subject of the Theory of Constraints in his book It's Not Luck. Basically it works like this: 

- determine the Desirable Effects and Undesirable Effects (UDEs) for the issue/theme/trend that you are analyzing,

- map the UDEs according to cause and effect relationships (for example by using Interrelationship Digraphing) in order to determine the core, root cause issues, then

- design strategies/programs/actions that will mitigate the core issues and the UDEs and strengthen the Desirable Effects.

For example, one of the major workplace issues for the 21st century in Flexplace Work. The off-site and telecommuting workforce is increasing 20% per year; in part because 60% of today's jobs are not location critical! So what should our management strategies be to manage this trend?

There are many desirable effects of Flexplace Work: less overhead, less absenteeism, less commute time for workers, less lost time on the job, flexible schedules, improved family life for workers, potentially more job candidates, etc. There are also some undesirable effects: low collaboration, lower productivity unsupervised off-site, human resource management at a distance issues, schedule management issues, home distractions, etc. Looking at cause and effect among the UDEs, we might judge that most of these issues stem from low collaboration, scheduling and home distractions... core or root cause issues.

Now if we brainstorm management strategies to deal with the UDEs and core issues and to possibly strengthen the desirable effects we might come up with ideas such as scheduled online collaboration through chat rooms or online meetings, periodic physical meetings, pay for performance or piece work pay, require regular reporting, pre-screening of employees for Flexplace work, etc. Then we can decide which of these strategies we want to embrace based on whatever our filtering/prioritizing criteria might be.

Like most problem solving quality tools, Theory of Constraints encourages divergent thinking to get everything out on the table and then convergent thinking to arrive at a coherent, best plan.

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Cost of Quality: The Ineffective Meeting

We usually think of the cost of an ineffective meeting as wasted time. Operational inefficiencies can be a serious consequence of ineffective meetings but there are also issues of risk and culture.

At a time when multi-billion dollar mistakes are being made by governments and corporations, one wonders if there may have been an ineffective meeting or two involved! At your next meeting, especially a decision-making meeting, think about the risk of not getting it right... if it's high, maybe an effective meeting needs to be reconvened.

And think about your organization's culture in regard to meetings. At one extreme an organization may run on meetings... committees that are too easily created and never disbanded, nothing can ever get decided without a meeting, work outside the meeting room is disrupted, etc. On the other extreme key decisions get made in privacy without enough involvement of key stakeholders... for want of a meeting a risk could have been avoided.

Most of us have been exposed to guidelines and rules for conducting an effective meeting (for example) but there is still a real risk that in our meetings we ask and answer the wrong questions. As preparation for our meetings we should develop the explicit list of questions that are to be answered during the meeting; this will provide focus to ensure an effective meeting. A formal technique that does just that is called Compression Planning... WINOC can connect you with a local certified Compression Planning practitioner.

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Great Lakes Economic Leadership (continued from above)

"The Great Lakes region is: 

• a huge international economy and marketplace; 

• an unrivaled center of innovation, education and talent generation—particularly in areas of global concern such as energy and medicine; 

• a large and growing counterpoint for global trade, commerce, and exchange of people, ideas and technologies; 

• blessed with a globally unique, water rich, and attractive natural environment; and, 

• a large-scale laboratory for the new international economic security arrangements needed to be perfected around the world."

The report presents detailed demographic data supporting each of these points above.

The blueprint for bi-national Great Lakes economic leadership is presented as a set of recommended, ambitious goals that could serve to prioritize and unify efforts to "realize the promise of the region: 

• By 2010: Develop a Bi-National Innovation Fund and Strategy 

• By 2010: Redevelop North America’s Freshwater Coast 

• By 2015: Define and Implement the “U.S.-Canada Border of the Future” 

• By 2025: Realize Bi-National Great Lakes Carbon Goals and Renewable Energy Standards 

• By 2030: Create a Common Market for Commerce and Human Capital."

Each of these goals is discussed in detail including their implications for sub regions such as Ohio and Northeast Ohio.

The report concludes that "the bi-national Great Lakes region can continue to model what economic regions will look like in the global economy—and also how they can thrive. To realize this vision will require leadership and purposeful actions that acknowledge the unique opportunities provided by the Great Lakes economy."

[See also Economic Leadership in Ohio and Economic Leadership in Greater Cleveland.]

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ODOD Strategic Plan (Continued from above)

ODOD's Strategic Plan for economic leadership in Ohio is to:

1. Share the Ohio Story by promoting Ohio for new capital investment, by promoting Ohio's regions, and by promoting Ohio as a tourism and residential destination. WINOC plays a role by its efforts to promote Northeast Ohio.

2. Strengthen our Strengths by establishing a targeted industry approach to economic development, by investing in technological innovation and commercialization, and by growing and supporting minority- and women-owned enterprises and small businesses. WINOC plays a role by promoting quality and productivity within the targeted manufacturing industries (Instruments, Controls, and Electronics and Motor Vehicle and Parts Manufacturing).

3. Cultivate Top Talent by retaining and attracting top talent, by providing customized training solutions to Ohio companies, and by creating a demand-driven workforce and talent system. WINOC has been engaged in providing customized training solutions to Ohio companies since 1982.

4. Invest in our Regional Assets by creating Ohio hubs of innovation and opportunity, by revitalizing our physical assets, and by supporting and catalyzing regional collaboration. WINOC has been a catalyst for regional collaboration through its public programs, regional networking events and through collaboration with its partners.

5. Focus on our Customers by creating a more customer focused organization, by strengthening collaboration with our partners, and by improving the transparency and accountability of economic development investments. WINOC partners directly with ODOD through the ODOD sponsored Ohio Labor Management Cooperation Program (OLMCP).

[See also Economic Leadership in the Great Lakes Region and Economic Leadership in Greater Cleveland.]

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Economic Leadership in Greater Cleveland... E4S and WINOC (Continued from above)

Entrepreneurs for Sustainability (E4S) is building a sustainable economy in northeast Ohio that will create prosperity and total community health. E4S is a diverse network of over 5000 leaders who are putting the principles of sustainability (for example) into action. The E4S Network started in 2000 with the classic entrepreneurs and have attracted the entrepreneurial thinkers, the change agents from business, government, academic and non-profit sectors of our community.

If this is an issue of interest to you please contact the Cleveland based E4S organization directly.

[See also Sustainable Development at Wikipedia.com ]

We remind our readers of WINOC's mission. WINOC is a regional resource for economic development with strong competence in helping organizations achieve performance excellence and in helping employers and employees create cooperative work environments. Founded in 1981 as Work in Northeast Ohio Council by a group of business, civic, and labor leaders, WINOC contributes to the success of businesses and organizations located throughout northeast Ohio and beyond by providing strategies and resources for quality and productivity improvement through people. [Learn more here.]

As we (WINOC) examine the issues of economic leadership in Ohio and in northeast Ohio it is clear that out priorities should be to

- Stay close to our labor management cooperation roots.

- Serve as an advocate of collaborative workforce and talent development.

 - Provide customized solutions to customers only where we are uniquely qualified to do so... quality and productivity through people.

- Continue to support the goals of the ODOD Strategic Plan through the Northeast Ohio Center for Labor Management Cooperation at WINOC.

- Serve as a networking resource for northeast Ohio.

WINOC is proud of the role its has played in regional economic leadership over the last 26-years and will continue to play a role in the future.

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Rapid Response Update (Continued from above)

According to the Ohio AFL-CIO Rapid Response Year in Review report (December ‘07 to July ’08)…

When changing markets contribute to layoffs, workers can be left without viable re-employment options. Shifts in consumer preferences, mergers, foreign competition and increased energy costs are some of the reasons a business may need to layoff workers. Bringing workers and services (training, career counseling and job search) together can lessen the negative impacts of unemployment by aiding employers and workers during the transition period of a layoff. The Ohio AFL-CIO Rapid Response Workforce Development Program is pivotal to the flexibility of Ohio ’s workforce by helping workers to qualify to shift into growth industries and lean manufacturing.

Here is how Rapid Response works…

Local areas have Rapid Response teams that are first responders when news of a layoff is received. Their response ensures a quick start to essential services. They may find out about upcoming layoffs from a number of sources: the union, the employer, workers who may have been or will be laid off, suppliers to the business, local government officials, and/or the media. The Worker Adjustment Retraining Notification (WARN) Act requires that employers notify the government in the event of mass layoff. Many employers will notify the state even if their layoff includes fewer than 50 people. Upon notification, the Rapid Response Team meets with the employer to discuss the size, scope, and timing of layoffs. The Rapid Response Team also looks for opportunities to avert layoffs. If layoffs move forward, the Rapid Response Team informs all relevant stakeholders and sets up orientation meetings with workers to provide information about Unemployment Insurance benefits and the services offered by Local Area Service Providers. In most cases these services are at the One-Stop [WIA employment and training career centers].

For more information contact rapidresponse@odjfs.state.oh or the United Labor Agency in Cleveland (www.ula-ohio.org).

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WINOC activities are partially  subsidized through a grant from the Ohio Labor Management Cooperation Program (OLMCP) of the Ohio Department of Development (ODOD) to operate the Northeast Ohio Center for Labor Management Cooperation (NEOCLMC).