Without engineering, nothing would be made, upgrades couldn't run, and manufacturing wouldn't exist. So why does the industry face so many problems of the most critical nature known to man?
Some people in my recent survey 'Operational Impacts of Behaviour in the Industrial Workplace' were quick to frown upon the lack of backing, incentives, and loss of apprenticeship that has beleaguered the sector for a long time now. But there's more to it than external forces. When I was previously in operation, the focus was on bluesky thinking, overcoming dinosaurism, combatting silo mentality - are these buzzwords familiar to you?
"No, never heard any of them," said a lot of people. Fewer still had heard of CSR. Howsoever this may be, it's appallingly apparent that a burgeoning, brave new world of continuous improvement was swept up by Lean and 6Sigma, which crammed initiatives into process boxes and shut the lid before human inspiration could get past the first flag.
I think that's a shame, but from my point of view, the gap in resource optimisation is just a case of 'missing in action'. There's a bridge waiting to be built, so that people can actually engage in the process of productivity, feel connected with the mission and look forward to coming into work each day, where a new ethic of social endeavour has replaced the tired, negative attitudes so entrenched in what should be one of the most dynamic cultures in the world.
This is still a pipe dream for most places. I have no pipe and believe in getting things done so that visions become real. You might well have questions of the current state of play, curious as to what could be achieved. Please, share those important thoughts of yours. We need to think outside that box or run the risk of falling prey to the demon inertia lurking deep in the sand.
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