From insight comes winning action

Stroud Insight is a collection of articles written by our consultants. Our aim is to share new thinking and perspectives. By doing so we hope to prompt thought and then winning action. You can browse abstracts of the articles below.

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Download Articles

Hidden opportunities to improve Tailings systems without capital.

November 2009 - While this paper was presented at a technical conference hosted by the University of Alberta (Tailings and Mine Waste 2009), the authors firmly believe that the underlying principles apply to every business in every sector. Business improvement begins with the "abundance mentality" that opportunity exists in every system. Read more to discover how to generate more value without tapping the capital piggybank. Click to download full article>

Is your team aligned?

October 2009 - Businesses leaders often express frustration at the disconnect between the ability of their teams, and the results being delivered. Having a team that is truly aligned on the top priorities will ensure that the valuable resources of the organization are being directed at the right opportunities. A motivated team working towards a common goal will be able to perform at its peak potential. In this article we will discuss the implications of a misaligned team and present an exercise by which leaders can evaluate the alignment amongst their team. Click to download full article>

The road to failure is paved with averages

July 2009 - Manufacturing is going through the biggest downturn for over 20 years, and whilst there will be casualties there will also be firms that seize new opportunities and prosper. Neil Heffernan argues for doing much more than the average by taking bold action now to identify and break through the constraints holding back your operation. Only by doing this will you distance your performance from the average and be one of these successful firms. In this article Neil advocates five priorities for success. Click to download full article>

Solving problems from first principles

June 2009 - The range of problems is extremely varied and therefore no single problem solving methodology used in the same way can be the best practice. The NASCAR pit crew on race day is going to have different needs than the nuclear reactor operator. Understanding the fundamentals of problem solving will help you best tackle each specific problem you face regardless of the differences between problems and the solutions required. Written by Taylor Milner. Click to download full article>

The importance of the right incentives

May 2009 - Monetary and non-monetary incentives are used extensively by businesses to influence the behaviours of management. Measuring the performance that governs the award of these incentives is critical to driving management behaviour. Misalignment between divisional and business objectives leads many businesses to establish conflicting measures for their managers. Furthermore even having the right measures does not ensure that all incentives are aligned with these measures. In this article we will identify reasons for the conflicting incentives and outline a few practical considerations when setting up incentive structures. Written by Gaurav Gupta. Click to download full article>

Do you have the 'fire-fighting' culture?

April 2009 - Front line supervisors play a critical role in the performance of an organization. However, most front line supervisors spend all their time fire-fighting unexpected problems with temporary solutions. They spend day after day dealing with the same problems: missing supplies, incorrect order specifications, employee absenteeism -- the list goes on. But don't give up hope just yet. There are several ways to counteract this phenomenon and get your front line leaders to put away their fire extinguishers for good! Written by Scott Whitbread. Click to download full article>

Prioritisation means agreeing what not to do, yet

2009 - While many leadership teams focus almost exclusively on effective of execution of projects, their role in allocating resources through effective prioritization can have an equal or greater effect on the magnitude of results an organization can achieve. This article will review two common pitfalls leadership teams encounter and introduce a straightforward tool to help your team achieve alignment on priorities quickly. Written by Ryan Hale. Click to download full article>

Accumulation: output boost or wasted capital

2009 - Too often, leaders make decisions on how to use accumulation arbitrarily or by opinion alone. Misconceptions and confusion about the underlying principles of accumulation diminish the performance of integrated production systems. Applying these principles with consideration for the facts that drive system performance can bring alignment to the group that makes those decisions, ultimately leading to better performance and a higher return on investment in accumulation assets. Written by Ryan Hale. Click to download full article>