Compression: Meeting the Challenges of Sustainability Through Vigorous Learning Enterprises - Hardcover

Strategic leaders of private and public organizations in the 21st century are faced with unprecedented challenges. The principles and practices that helped them compete and grow in the past, no longer work. ... Many of the problems are beyond complicated. They are problems generated by interlinked systems that prevent us from clearly defining the root cause. Their resolution requires reflection on the assumptions of the past and counter intuitive thinking.

In the 1980s and 90s Robert Hall (Doc) helped North American manufacturing and service companies address the competitive challenges of imports. Doc was a thought leader, articulator, and guide to hundreds of CEOs, presidents, operations managers and process engineers on the principles and practices of Lean, continuous improvement, and productivity.

Today, with Compression, Doc gives us a new perspective on the challenges of the 21st century. He gives strategic leaders a way to put their arms around the complex issues facing their companies, markets, and communities.

Compression is a practical management tool. Strategic leaders should not labor under the misconception that they will learn by reading this book. It is through using what they read that the real and important learning will occur.
―John (Jack) Ward, former CEO, Gabor International

Learning how to survive in this new Era of Sustainability will require a new way of thinking and working ... . Compression: doing more with less of everything by becoming a vigorous learning organization.
―Glenn Marshall, Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, Benchmarking & Sustainability Champion

COMPRESSION: Meeting the Challenges of Sustainability Through Vigorous Learning Enterprises sounds a clarion that we cannot afford to ignore. Global crises are squeezing us from all directions. Mostly they have to do with not enough: not enough natural resources to maintain our standard of living, not enough carbon rich soil to grow crops enough to feed the world, not enough fresh clean water, nor air or ozone.

A founding member of the Association for Manufacturing Excellence, Robert "Doc" Hall has dedicated much of his career to redefining business practices in ways that are feasible and transferable. For lasting change to occur, we need to provide stakeholders with access to new tools and new paradigms that eschew outdated learning methods. While the book does elucidate the problem, the main emphasis of its pages is on what leaders can do to change the mindset of stakeholders at all levels. Specifically, Hall shows how the Toyota model, the most successful and enduring manufacturing system ever implemented, can be applied and adapted to help identify roots of problems, eliminate waste, and create a new vision along with the path to realizing that vision.

• We must rethink our perpetual devotion to old ideals such as continual growth and more are always better
• We need to recognize that we are quickly reaching the point of critical mass where the inequities of society will force the have-nots to take matters into their own hands
• We need to learn to learn more effectively, in terms of individuals, organizations, and processes
• We must embrace the paradigm culture shift required to implement lasting constructive change that we can live by

To implement the sort of changes that will allow civilization to prevail rather than merely endure requires a resourcefulness and ingenuity beyond any the world has ever employed. In this volume, Doc Hall shows us how to learn to learn more effectively both as individuals and organizations, and in terms of processes. He invites us to rethink our perpetual devotion to old ideals and welcome the shift in thinking that must be our first and immediate step.

Stay current and become active in helping to Meet the Challenges of Sustainability Through Vigorous Learning Enterprises. You will find action steps and discussion at compression.org