Low-hanging fruits yield P563 M revenue

ELBONOMICS

- REY ELBO

Question: Would you choose to solve an operational problem 100 percent with an expensive solution, like buying a new machine or hiring additional workers? Or solve it 50 percent with an inexpensive solution by eliminating nonvalue-adding steps in a work process or requiring workers to have a multi-skilled function?

When I pose these choices to my clients, they often reply with a 100 percent solution. They can afford it. However, there are times when, even if they can afford it, they refuse to spend money for the solution – especially top executives

who believe that people must be creative in solving problems without spending the company’s money.

That’s creativity before capital at its finest, which can only be achieved with the help of an army of empowered employee problem-solvers contributing a minimum of one percent of ideas each day. If you’re the boss, work

closely and seriously on how employee empowerment and engagement can help your organization achieve productivity and profitability.

To many people and their organizations, you don’t simply prescribe management strategies popularized by Toyota and some dynamic manufacturers. “We’re not a car manufacturer, so why bother?” Of course, they’re feigning ignorance about kaizen as a universal common-sense principle.

Lean broadcasting

An interesting case is that of Manila Broadcasting Corp., aka MBC Media Group, a multimedia company and operator of dzRH, the longest-running radio station in the country, which started in 1939.