The Quantum Leap

Retail Price: $49.95

Direct Price: $44.95

Next Generation
By Dean Gilliam and Steve Taylor-Jones
Hardcover, 7 x 10, 288 pages
ISBN: 1-932159-44-4
January 2005
Co-published with JCIT International

ISBN: 1-932159-44-4 Categories: , ,

Description

In a world where customer demand is rewriting the rules of manufacturing success, yesterday’s best practices may actually hinder companies more than help them. The Quantum Leap: Next Generation documents the forces shaping today’s demad-driven markets and equips organizations with the knowledge and insight to navigate the transition to Demand Flow Technology (DFT) – a unique combination of innovative management philosophy, revolutionary manufacturing practices, and flexible employees.

The first edition of The Quantum Leap – and its French, German, Italian and Spanish translations – played a key role in some of the most dramatic manufacturing success stories of the past decade. This update of John R. Costanza’s original worldwide bestseller examines the impact and implications of recent industry trends, new technologies, and emerging business practices on manufacturing practices. But the focus remains the same: how to build sustainable competitive advantage by responding to customer demand in real time, every day. To remain competitive in today’s dynamic global economy, companies must become demand-driven. This comprehensive desk reference provides a proven mathematically based roadmap for implementing DFT.

Key Features

  • Discusses the benefits of RFID technology and explains how speed to market can elevate a manufacturer to a position of market leadership and dominance
  • Demonstrates that by linking flow-manufacturing technology with simultaneous concurrent engineering techniques, companies can reach new levels of responsiveness and speed-to-market for delivering high quality products on demand
  • Equips organizations with the knowledge to navigate the transition to Demand Flow® Technology (DFT) — a unique combination of innovative management philosophy, revolutionary manufacturing practices, and flexible employees
  • Provides a mathematically-based roadmap for implementing DFT
  • Enables shorter lead-times, improved cash flow, dramatic increases in inventory turns, radical inventory reductions, increased productivity, and lower overhead costs

About the author(s)

Dean Gilliam, President & CEO, JCIT International, has over 25 years of executive management experience in two public manufacturing and software companies and in his management role at JCIT International. His past experience includes manufacturing operations, corporate acquisitions, business restructurings, international facility start-ups and product distribution for high-tech OEM businesses. Mr. Gilliam joined JCIT as it Chief Operating Officer in 1998. Prior to joining JCIT, Mr. Gilliam was CEO and President of Loronix Information Systems and the CFO for DH Technology, Inc.

Steve Taylor-Jones, Executive Vice President, JCIT International, has worked for JCIT for 12 years as an educator and has led numerous implementations using Demand Flow® Technology (DFT). During this period he has also been the Vice President responsible for business software development and for supporting clients with DFT compliant tools. He has deployed DFT in multiple industries in both small and large environments. Major engagements have been with Nortel, General Electric (Plastics and Lighting), American Standard and Johnson & Johnson.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 — A Global Perspective
Chapter 2 — A View to Manufacturing
Chapter 3 — Strategy and Technology for World-Class Success
Chapter 4 — Flow Technology for World-Class Manufacturing
Chapter 5 — Customer Responsiveness and Linear Planning 
Chapter 6 — Kanban Pull and Backflush Techniques
Chapter 7 — Group Technology and Machine Cells
Chapter 8 — Product Design for Demand Flow® Manufacturing
Chapter 9 — DFT Procurement Forecasting and Quality Source Management
Chapter 10 — Total Employee Involvement
Chapter 11 — Total Quality Control
Chapter 12 — Demand Flow
Chapter 13 — Achieving a Commitment to World-Class Excellence
Chapter 14 — The Role of Information Systems in DFT
Chapter 15 — Implementing the Strategy and Technology

Reviews

“DFT is an absolute business discipline for every one of us, from the factory floor to the office. It is a way to simplify the business; to put order into everything you do.”

Jack Welch, Former Chairman and CEO, General Electric

“Another company doubled its inventory turns through sharp reductions in both raw material and work-in-process inventories. It did so by implementing Demand Flow manufacturing technology, as described in The Quantum Leap, by John R Costanza. This stuff really works. By shortening product cycle time, they were able to improve customer service and reduce debt at the same time.”

John Rutledge, Chairman, Rutledge & Company in Forbes Magazine

“Our involvement with Demand Flow Technology dates back to 1990, when a commitment was made to convert facilities worldwide to Demand Flow manufacturing. By implementing the technology described in The Quantum Leap, we’ve realized benefits in cost savings, quality improvements, and inventory turns.”

Cyrill Gallimore, Vice President Systems & Technology, American Standards, Inc.