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The Resource Center has all the info you'll need From content to user feedback, the resource center has the information you need for every level of the entrepreneurial process.
After leaping into "Lean," Southern Vinyl Manufacturing gained efficiencies in nearly every area of its operations. Specifically, entrepreneur Rod Matthews explains the challenges and rewards of involving employees in finding and eliminating waste using the "Five Why" process. As a result of "getting lean," the company resolves manufacturing problems by digging deeply to identify root causes instead of just treating symptoms.
The Six Sigma manufacturing process drives production to near-perfect levels, seeking less than 3.4 defects per million output units. Here, the basic purpose and process of the Six Sigma methodology, and its connection to "lean" manufacturing, are clearly explained for entrepreneurs. The article also provides tips on getting started and guidelines to successful implementation.
Does Six Sigma methodology have benefits small- to medium-sized entrepreneurial manufacturing firm? "Yes!" proclaims this author, a Six Sigma Master Black Belt. He provides an overview of, outlines four actions needed for a company to succeed with, and defines steps to deploying Six Sigma.
As Buck Knives, Inc., celebrated a century in business, it also faced a cash crunch that was putting it out of business. CEO CJ Buck shares how his team took dramatic action (including moving the company from Southern California to northern Idaho) to fend off high-quality global competitors and to turn the historic and highly regarded company around with its own version of the Toyota Production System (TPS).
What does "Lean" mean? This article provides the basic background, terminology, and insight entrepreneurs need to understand how specific, proven processes lead to reduced costs, improved quality, and delighted customers. It also briefly considers the next logical extension of Lean Manufacturing (Lean Thinking), which allows service companies to benefit from the hard-won lessons of manufacturers.
Not all Web hosts are the same--far from it. Matching your host to your company is vital, and you have a lot of choices. Price, size, service offerings, type (there are four, at least), bandwidth, back-up processes, redundancy, and reputation are just a few. This article is part of a series on Web services.
Thanks to the Web, copyright laws are now front and center for entrepreneurs. Are the Fortune magazine quotes you use in your marketing e-newsletter protected? (Possibly) Are e-mails protected? (Yes and No) This article, while not legal advice, is an excellent, readable guide to today's changing copyright laws.
From cash-flow statements to stock purchase agreements, this practical site offers downloadable templates for the myriad business documents you'll need to launch, and grow, your company.
Rohonda Abrams lists some of the trade offs between buying and leasing. As your business grows, leasing may be tempting, but in the long run it may not be the best choice.
An in-depth look at "offshore outsourcing" technology services, this excellent article reveals that relationships not continuously reviewed, maintained, and adjusted become "stale" within three years. Both quality and cost savings can drop to the point at which point a company needs to drop the practice itself.
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