Quality Time Books

Don't buy this book. The book doesn't have any new insights. I found the book very useless.

Gives a very good insight into JIT, making you aware of the zillion things manufacturing companies can (still!!) do to avoid waste. The book, however, does not prepare you for actual implementation. For that to happen, there is nothing to replace being an 'insider' in the manufacturing environment.

This is a great introduction to JIT. It covers main issues as the core knowlodge of this technique as well as the implementation cornerstones. It's an easy to read way to get a handle on this planning and production control. It has also tried to get a compromise with MRP without forgeting currently popular topics as the link to suppliers and customers. As a plus, there are some chapters for problem solving using quality control techniques as storyboards which are actually useful in many others environments and areas.

Just-In-Time:Making It Happen can be an invaluable guide to implementing JIT principles in the manufacturing environment. Although it is not a cookbook, it does provide a comprehensive step-by-step to understanding and implementing a workable JIT process. Perhaps the most valuable contribution of the book is the way it demonstrates that JIT processes can coexist with MRP effectively. Sandras defines those functions that need to be incorporated in the MRP System to most effectively interface with and support JIT. However, he also describes how the MRP System can be manually augmented to allow their coexistence. But what I liked best was the practitioner's understanding of the problems facing the JIT implementer.

It's for those who are locking for direct information. Begin with some Lean historical facts, and goes direct to aplications and examples. I found it very usefull and easy to find the information I needed. I would recommend this book for engineers and technicians involved in improving eficience of maintenance activities.

The book provided an interesting background and history. Once it got into the actual elements of Lean Maintenenance, the text was very comprehensive. It provided a step-by-step process for setting up a lean maintenance program -- a cook-book approach.
Should be very useful for plants thinking about instituting Lean Maintenance.

Good maintenance book, but it missed the point on lean by a mile. If you just what some of the lean ideas, but not how they relate to maintenance it may be for you.

Provides the insight that as an organization leans its manufacturing processes, it must also address machinery maintenance processes or reliability suffers. It gives a good background on Lean Manufacturing and rationale for using a lean approach on maintenance processes, along with an excellent "how to" guide for implementing.

An interesting read. Well written and full of unique ideas. Can be used to accomplish major improvements in any organization.

I am a little bemused by the previous reviews. Being a practicing engineer, I had hoped for an more rigorous introduction to applying robust engineering principles, coupled to real life engineering examples. What I got was essentially a book length advertisement aimed at people who don't need or want to know how to do it, merely order someone else to apply the techniques. If you are a manager considering implementing robust engineering practices and design of experiments, by all means, read the book and convince yourself and your boss it is the way to go. If you actually want to use the techniques, buy a different book.

Robust Engineering book is the world wide collections of best case studies of Robust Engineering. In Chapter 1 and 2 authors gave a basic explanation of Robust Engineering and implementation strategy which is very easy to understand for any reader. This is book is the absolute necessary for any leaders, managers or engineers who want to re-shape their organization and by reading this book they will understand the powerfulness of Robust Engineering.

I'm also surprised by 4 stars & other praises of this book (e.g., Fortune).

the book should be renamed "Case Studies of Taguchi Method" and the "authors" should be renamed as "editors"

it also does not telll you the method & its statistical basis, its strength & weakness compared with other methods, its assumptions and so forth. In addition, it lacks a biblography. Overall, we are just supposed to take a leap of faith. The book feels like "informercial"

I think this book has the potential to be a New York Times #1 Bestseller if it would only change the subject matter completely.

This is a relatively basic book on using key performance metrics. The foundation of the approach is TQM, with a nice focus on how to use associated techniques to gather, analyze and manage the metrics. Some of the material is wrapped in "Quantum Performance" and its associated measurement matrix. The terminology and approach embodied in these are, at the basic level, a refactoring and tailoring of existing tools and techniques.

I like the way effective tools ranging from affinity diagrams to statistical process control charts are employed throughout the book. The realistic examples using these tools and techniques the tactical and strategic levels makes this book especially valuable to companies that have embraced TQM. However, each tool or technique can be effectively used in environments in which management is seeking a systematic way to measure the right things for competitive advantage.

Another valuable aspect of this book is the focus on processes, and how they apply to the big picture of performance measurement.

Overall, this is an easy-to-read book that is equally easy to understand and apply. Aside from a few unique perspectives and the focus on TQM and associated tools, the material is not groundbreaking. That is not to say that this book does not merit a place on your reading list if you are seeking a systematic performance measurement program, because the approach set forth is valid and will prove effective in the real world. I recommend reading this book as a starting point, then augmenting the knowledge gained with "Operational Performance Measurement: Increasing Total Productivity" (ISBN 1574440993) to get a complete picture before embarking on any performance measurement initiative.

Just because this book was written to justify Arthur Anderson's best practices business doesn't mean it's not useful! Mike Hronec does a good job of making a case for developing appropriate performance measurements and sketches an outline for a robust process to get you there. Actually putting the plan into action is another story. Nonetheless, corporate controllers should read this book, if only to promote thinking about how effective their organizations' performance measures are in improving performance. Adam Lefton (adamleft@webspan.net)

This book differs from other astrology books in that the personality descriptions, although present, are secondary. What this book primarily aims to do is to describe the energies that exist at certain times of the year (broken down into weeks) and what they are conducive to, what we can expect, etc. For example, I was born in The Week of Study, and Goldschneider describes, not just the personalities of those born in this week, but the themes and energies of this week itself, how it fits into the cycle of the year, what occurances we may meet with in this week, and what type of activities are optimal for this week.

There is also a section for each week discussing the personality profile for people born in each of the weeks, as well as a section which gives succinct descriptions of the themes of each specific day of the year. If you have ever noticed synchronicities cropping up at certain times of the year, or even on specific days of the year, and want to explore why that may be, then this book is for you; however if you are merely seeking personality profiles, then there are better options available, most notably "The Secret Language of Birthdays," also by Gary Goldschneider.

The same folks who made the fabulous Secret Language of Relationships, Secret Language of Birthdays and Secret Language of Destiny also wrote this book. What a huge difference in quality. This book is difficult to understand ... not straight forward like the other books. I would not recommend this to buy until you have gone to the library to look it over first.

If you are new to Kanban, this book is not for you. It only gives a small description on how to run a kanban system.

The collaborative work of Toyota Production System veterans and experts James C. Vatalaro and Robert E. Taylor, Implementing A Mixed Model Kanban System: The Lean Replenishment Technique For Pull Production spells out the technical details and requirements of implementing a kanban system, a methodology for insuring maximum quality at minimal cost particularly in product manufacturing, within the context of pull production. Chapters explain the principles of kanban in plain terms, tools for applying and managing the system, and frequently asked questions. Simple diagrams, sample charts, and plain language clearly outline the basics in this valuable resource for any business manager or production overseer looking to take advantage of the structure and principles of kanban.

During the years, I have accumulated an extensive operational strategy reference library, ranging from manufacturing, government and service issues. This is an excellent book for more comprehensive learning of the discipline. Besides the holistic view of the subject, I think it has many interesting points related to the content of operational strategy. This books focus main thesis is the need of sound reconciliation between market requirements and the operational resources of the organization. Great diagrams and charts add tremendous value to the writing. The book could be improved for teaching purposes with the inclusion of cases.

Of all the business literature I have read during my MBA this was definitely one of the least beneficial or inspiring. It gives very few useful models or theories, much of its information is much too obvious to be interesting and it uses examples that are either wrong in facts or don't really support the theories of the book. You will have forgotten about most of it as soon as you put it away but don't be sorry for that, this book would never help you achieve better operations anyway.

The sand cone theory described briefly in thios book but better elsewhere is one of few interesting and useful theories of the book. Forget about the operating strategy matrix, you won't be able to make any use of that in any organisation.

Regrettably, this book purports to have inside knowledge of the television industry but its own content belies that assertion. Much of the material is self-indulgent, a direct reflection on both the author and members of VQT. As a television insider myself, who has had numerous run-ins with these self-proclaimed arbiters of "quality", their uninformed perspectives turn what should be a book about the strength of the little guy into a skewed narrative by a wanna-be outsider pretending to be an insider. Readers looking for true insights into the world of television are better off with another piece of material.

This book tells how the television industry has failed to make quality programming a priority and what viewers may do about this. This book presents true and successful stories of how viewers banded together to demand superior television shows. This is not the story of how groups with political agendas sought to acheive their interests. It shows how viewers may praise quality and make their views known to the television industry so they will keep producing superior shows. The book's descriptions of how a few outraged people made a positive difference is enlightening. These were people upset that excellent shows such as "Cagney and Lacey", "Designing Women", "Seinfeld" and "China Beach" began with such low ratings that they were set for cancellation. It is remarkable to see how just a few people can organize many others to write television network executives and convince them to keep good TV shows. It is very rewarding to see the successes of their efforts, as these shows remained for several successful seasons. This is a great book. People interested in the television industry, case studies of successful organizing, and in reading how one person can make a difference will admire "The Story of Viewers for Quality Television".

I LOVED this book.
The first I have read by Ms Feather
No issues, just a wonderful historical romance with an intriguing plot.
A page turner from start to finish!

Like Chase the Dawn (another of Jane Feather's novels), Almost Innocent portrays the female lead, in this case Magdalen in a bad light. Here Magdalen is portrayed as a selfish woman, a temptress who causes trouble for men. But if you really see past this, Magdalen hasn't done anything wrong - she loved a man and warned him of her intentions. As for her beauty - it is hardly her fault that men love her. She never knowingly flirted or used her power over them. That is why she is 'almost innocent'. Guy, the man she loved since she was a child is a widower and looked after Magdalen as a child to marry her off to his nephew. Since her marriage, Magdalen has made efforts to make her feelings known to Guy and he has been understandably shying away. His sense of honour would not allow him to do anything else. His continual denial of his feelings is frustrating whereupon he forces Magdalen to deny the true parentage of their child who was conceived when he believed that Magdalen's husband was dead. His sense of honour is a likeable trait but he isn't portrayed as someone romantically in love with Magdalen, which is she is seen as the one who is at fault. She pursues him and he is happy to go along with the ride (when he believed her husband was dead), and this is what is missing from the novel - the give and take between the two. Magdalen loves Guy more than he loves her. It is not until the end when he really declares his feelings but that is such a shortchange compared to his actions in the novel. Not a bad book, but not my cup of tea. It doesn't have the right balance to make a truly romantic novel.

I LOVED this book. It reminded me of the stories of King Arthur, Sir Lancelot and Gwenivere; the love triangle between the three. This was one of the rare occasions I've read a novel purposely slow - wanting to savor the story and enjoy the images created rather than just reading quickly to find out what happens. I loved Guy, Magdalen and Edward. I felt for all 3 of these characters - wanting Magdalen to appreciate Edward's love, but knowing she had to stay true to her heart. I was not offended by the "immorality" of her cheating because her marriage was arranged. It was never her choice to marry Edward. Had she chosen him from the start, giving herself body AND soul to him and then decided to cheat, then I would have had a hard time liking her character. As it is, I found this one of Jane Feather's best novels - it was powerfully passionate and I felt myself torn between Edward and Guy, much as Magdalen did toward the end of the novel. A great read!

This book was very well written. However, I found a lot lacking in the main character Magdalen. I thought she was self absorbed and immature. I felt like Edmund deserved more than he recieved. I read historical romance when I am in the mood for a happy ending and I didn't get that with this book.

Jane Feather did do a wonderful job of taking me where I did not expect to go.

There was nothing romantic about this book. The characters were dull. The heroine purposefully set out to commit adultery and did so, without a modicum of guilt. This is especially disturbing b/c her husband, Edmund, was not a bad character at all. The hero is somewhat, just there,he's not compelling at all. The only thing that was notable about him was the fact that he only committed adultery/cuckolded his nephew because he thought he, Edmund, was really dead. Meanwhile, the heroine "just knew he was alive" all along and didn't give a care. When the heroine supposedly "grows into a woman", I find myself rooting against her until the end. She is amoral and immature. This book is a huge waste of time/money.

This charming book is full of inspiring ideas on how to make the most out of life by creating standards and honoring the sacredness of time. As with all of Alexandra Stoddard's books, this is for the optimistic person who delights in the romance and wonder of everyday life.

As always, Alexandra never fails to inspire me to be more creative, to open my eyes, to live life and enjoy even the smallest things. She does not advocate a lavish lifestyle. On the contrary, her books have more to do with enjoying the little things in life that do not cost much.
I have all her books and this one has new ideas for me to underline, just as her other books are well read and underlined on my shelf. She is one of my favorite authors....

I own nearly all of Ms. Stoddard's books and have been reading her reviews for this and other titles she has written. Clearly, it is true that she is consistent with her message, which is repackaged in different ways, with different themes and emphases: time, beauty, home, happiness, love, etc. Yet one does not buy a new Alexandra Stoddard book and expect a new Alexandra -- rather, one expects to resume a conversation with a friend who is known and trusted. Like a good friend, Alexandra repeats her ideas now and again, she shares with us what she considers important, and encourages us to move on in our own lives with grace, positivity, and joy.

I am a professor of American literature and understand that Alexandra includes quotes from great American writers including Ralph Waldo Emerson, Edith Wharton, and Henry David Thoreau. She also includes her favorite messages from world authors, philosophers, historians, politicians, artists, and designers. Indeed, in this sense, Ms. Stoddard does not have a new message: she shares her take on the messages she has gleaned from a lifetime of reading and experience. One could say that it would be best to just read Emerson or Thoreau -- but how many do? Is Ms. Stoddard not a messenger encouraging our own reading of these classics along with her message of how they have been important to her? As a professor of American lit, I am thrilled that someone is quoting Emerson and Thoreau in hopes that Ms. Stoddard will lead her own readers to search out these classic American texts. The 19th century British writer Thomas Carlyle wrote in "Sartor Resartus" that there are no new texts, but rather old ideas tailored in new and different ways. And so it is with Alexandra Stoddard. Before dismissing her, perhaps we might consider the possibility that she brings classic ideas to a broad audience -- that she has re-tailored the ideas of Emerson, Thoreau, and others for our times and for the general population.

I understand and can empathize with those who do not relate with her lifestyle -- indeed, she is blessed with a good life -- one that it appears she has worked for. I am happy for her and ask this: why should an individual's hard work, good fortune, and general abundance indicate that we, as a more general population, cannot relate to her? If she can afford more than we can does that mean her ideas do not apply to us, that she is removed from life as we know it? Oprah Winfrey, for example, is a fabulously wealthy woman -- one of the richest Americans alive -- and no one questions her ability to relate to common people. Granted, she was challenged as a child to overcome a difficult set of life circumstances, yet we do not know what Alexandra has overcome in her life -- can't she also express her ideas about a life well-lived without us judging her ideas in terms of her socioeconomic status? Let's move beyond this to her ideas, I say. Look at what she has to say at its core -- many of these ideas are universal.

I am grateful that Ms. Stoddard keeps writing. I read her as a respite from other reading. I read her as I would read a letter from a friend. I do not judge her as she does not seem to judge others herself. I take her messages at face value and accept her suggestions for living as her own way of spreading a spirit of good faith.

As I mentioned, I teach literature: my classes read works by Kurt Vonnegut, John Updike, Langston Hughes, Toni Morrison, Kate Chopin, Theodore Dreiser, and others. Ms. Stoddard presents a particular slice of life -- it seems as valid as any to me. She does not claim to be the great American author or philosopher, but someone who can encourage us to look at our lives more carefully and help us to live more fully and mindfully. Although I understand the misgivings of some, I am grateful that she has chosen to write. Her work has contributed to my life, and I look forward to her hearing her voice again in her next volume.

Knowing and becoming takes time. Alexandra writes in this book, "Patiently continue to grow, trusting your intuition that is your real guiding light. This innner knowing is instinctive. The truth will continuously be revealed to you without reason or outer knowledge. You possess this innate capacity of perception. Let this subtle, spontaneous awareness teach you who you essentially are." What are your priorities and goals? What do you hope to achieve in your life, and what are the things that are blocking you from becoming. I think this book is helpful in beginning that kind of a conversation with yourself.

Okay, Ms. Stoddard is who she is and probably means well in writing about her idea of living well. I have read her other books, and I think "Living a Beautiful Life" is the best of the lot. I agree with the other reviewers that she seems pretentious, but perhaps she is targeting those who actually have the time and money to follow her suggestions and play in her league. At the same time, so many people are aspirational and want to read about the lifestyle they dream of having--even if odds are that they never will.

I found "Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy" by Sara Ban Breathnach more inspiring and realistic. I bought it in 1995 and still have a look at it now and then. So, if you're trying to carve out a little extra grace, pleasure, and serenity for yourself, that's the book I would recommend.