Seminars for August 2000

Presenter: Rick Delbridge

Seminar One
Managing continuous improvement in a lean manufacturing environment

Tuesday 8 August, 5:00-7:15PM CST
University of South Australia, City West campus

This seminar discussed various ways in which plants manage problem solving and continuous improvement. A range of techniques and distinct approaches have been identified during a recent research project which looked at major multinational auto components manufacturers located in the UK and US. The seminar outlined these and assessed the implications of the various ways in which organizations seek to solve problems and manage knowledge in order to continually improve their operational performance.

Click here to watch the video of this presentation by Ric Delbridge.

Seminar Two
Continuous improvement through supply chain management

Tuesday 15 August, 5:00-7:30PM CST
South Australian Centre for Manufacturing, Woodville

The cost and quality performance of suppliers has a major impact on a manufacturer's operational and business performance. Despite this, many plants fail to develop close links with suppliers, remaining largely reactive in their dealings with their supply base. This seminar discussed the potential benefits that may come through effective and proactive supply chain management and drew on evidence from a small number of plants in the UK and US who are actively developing techniques in this area.

Click here to watch the video of this presentation by Ric Delbridge.

To watch the video presentations, you will need version 8 (or later) of Real Player. If you don't have this already, it can be downloaded from the Real Networks site. The file size of Real Player is 4 megabytes. You'll also need a version 4 (or later) browser software, at least 16MB of RAM - and of course a sound card and speakers.

Our presenter

The presenter for both seminars was Rick Delbridge, from the Cardiff Business School in Wales.

Rick Delbridge is a Senior Research Fellow at Cardiff Business School. During the last ten years he has researched high performance manufacturers in Europe, North America and Japan. His current research focus is on how plants can become "Learning Factories": sites of problem solving, continuous improvement and innovation. He has researched these developments in the UK and US automotive industries and is collaborating with the University of South Australia on an Australian Research Council programme which will assess evidence of the learning factory in Australia's motor industry. He is also currently conducting a study of the innovative potential of small and medium sized manufacturers within the Industrial South Wales region of the UK. He is the author of Life on the Line in Contemporary Manufacturing (Oxford University Press, 2000) and co-editor of Manufacturing in Transition (Routledge, 1998).