Kepner-Tregoe News

Big Decisions Demand Rigor II or why TARP is truly an appropriate name

amarshall@kepner-tregoe.com — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 14:59:11 -0500

It would seem we are seeing the value of objectives, and their harm when they are absent or unclear, being played out on the public stage once again. This time the arena is the series of financial bailouts enacted (in the case of the $700B Financial Service industry plan) or planned (in the case of the Automotive industry). The challenge of "rescuing" the distressed US economy, and by turn the global economy, seems to be compounded by an absence of visible, prioritized, and above all, specific objectives against which solutions can be designed and assessed.

No Credit - No Worries...or at least a path to address them

amarshall@kepner-tregoe.com — Tue, 9 Dec 2008 17:57:58 -0500

Right about now we all know more about collateralized debt obligations, structured investment vehicles, mortgage-based securities and credit default swaps than anyone without a Nobel Prize for Economics has any right to know. While most of us are not moving in circles where the structures of high finance have had much meaning to us, we have all recently discovered just how much these financial oddities affect our own success. The first order of business is to figure out what to do now that the ready access to credit has evaporated. Until those funds begin flowing we will all need to relearn lessons of old: Do more with less and make the most of what you have.

10 Ways IT Managers Can Make CRM Implementation Painless

Tue, 7 Oct 2008 16:58:14 -0400

To clear common CRM hurdles, technology executives may want to follow the best practices offered by leading industry experts. Inside CRM reached out to KT's Shellina Damji (see Raising the Bar) and other experts for CRM implementation advice.

Enduring Needs - Critical Thinking Skills sought by Hiring Managers

amarshall@kepner-tregoe.com — Fri, 3 Oct 2008 17:18:55 -0400

A survey by CareerBuilder.com reveals the skills necessary to survive economic down turns. People in business have to be able to rapidly prioritize problems, identify their root cause, make decisions about what to do to correct it, and manage the associated systems risk and potential. Critical thinking skills are not only desired, they are a fundamental skill necessary for a business's long-term strategic and operational success and they are what hiring managers look for most.

Perspectives on Going Green in Medical Design Technology

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 10:55:24 -0400

In the current issue of Medical Design Technology, KT Global Vice President and Partner Michael Curran-Hays addresses going green as a legitimate path to business success that has the potential for adding value and that provides opportunities for market leadership.

Kepner-Tregoe Forms Global Partnership with OptimumFX to Provide Production Line Improvement Services

Tue, 9 Sep 2008 10:33:31 -0400

Kepner-Tregoe (KT), a global provider of consulting and training operational improvement solutions and service, today announced their global partnership with OptimumFX, a European provider of manufacturing productivity analysis systems and improvement services. They are partnering to offer a complete production line improvement service to customers worldwide. Under the agreement, the companies will combine OptimumFX’s LineView software solution with KT processes in order to identify the real causes of productivity loss on production lines. Through this partnership, OptimumFX and KT will offer a complete productivity improvement package, with a primary focus on Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).

Another Gap to Bridge - tackling the distance between thought and action in workforce generational change

amarshall@kepner-tregoe.com — Thu, 7 Aug 2008 18:02:00 -0400

What systems should businesses be putting in place to tie the past and present of their organization to the future to accommodate the retirement of Baby Boomers and the generation-shift taking their place? There are a couple of critical elements. Make the knowledge easy to transfer. And, provide opportunities for it to be transferred. A common language for issue resolution and action is recommended.

KT50 IN THE NEWS TODAY

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:06:23 -0400

The KT 50th Anniversary is being reported on extensively in the news media. Read more online at:

MarketWatch: http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/kepner-tregoe-celebrates-50-years-corporate/story.aspx?guid={8A074155-5619-4838-A055-B72462633600}&dist=hppr

Yahoo! Finance: http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/080730/20080730005788.html?.v=1

Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/businesswire/feeds/businesswire/2008/07/30/businesswire20080730005788r1.html

Morningstar: http://news.morningstar.com/newsnet/ViewNews.aspx?article=/BW/20080730005788_univ.xml

Philly News: http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/phillynews/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20080730005788&newsLang=en

Centre Daily Times: http://www.centredaily.com/business/technology/story/745016.html

EarthTimes: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/kepner-tregoe-celebrates-50-years-of-corporate-problem-solving-innovation,486848.shtml

StreetInsider: http://www.streetinsider.com/Press+Releases/Kepner-Tregoe+Celebrates+50+Years+of+Corporate+Problem-Solving+Innovation/3860295.html

Beyond Problems - why the fire-fighter is not the most appropriate model for business leadership success

amarshall@kepner-tregoe.com — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:52:53 -0400

In a demand-driven world, the fire-fighter is the pinnacle of virtue. They are asked to address critical issues through the extraordinary application of their efforts. The only problem with this mind set is that the tyranny of the urgent will continue to outweigh the benefits of applying resources to longer term issues of building strategic capability and capacity. What should an organization do?

Mind the Gap - In Troubled Times filling the space between Choking and Panicking

amarshall@kepner-tregoe.com — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 09:29:42 -0400

The news today is filled with tales of woe. Global fuel prices are increasing at a phenomenal rate. Access to basic necessities such as water, food and shelter is being impacted by a more chaotic and changing climate. The global economies are suffering from the after effects of an economic downturn, the result of the United States subprime mortgage debacle and its investment banks Structured Investment Vehicle follies. All in all, the world seems very much in turmoil. In troubled times, clarity of thought helps you aim for the gap between choking and panic to use data in a way that helps you do what you need to survive and thrive.

Live Webcast: KT Resolve, the "How" for ITIL Support

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:35:59 -0400

KT Resolve, the KT approach for embedding structured troubleshooting into service and support organizations, is the focus of a live web event that will be presented globally at three times on July 10. For organizations that turn to ITIL v.3 or other high standards for service and support, KT Resolve provides the HOW: how to resolve issues accurately and effectively by relying on data and logic. Who should attend? Anyone involved in managing or providing technical service and support; executives charged with reducing the costs of support or building customer lifetime value in their organizations.

KT Shutdown Services Meet Growing Demand

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:30:00 -0400

Among the Kepner-Tregoe services experiencing growing demand is our support for shutdowns, turnarounds and outages. KT's focused planning and implementation programs have a huge impact on the success of the planned activities that are accomplished during a limited timeframe, and they reduce the risk of substantial cost and time overruns. This summer Rio Tinto made a presentation about their shutdown work with KT at the Shutdowns, Turnarounds, and Outages Conference in Indianapolis where KT also hosted an Expo booth. KT Asia-Pacific is sponsoring a breakfast meeting on this topic in Sydney in July; and a live, global webcast on Shutdown Excellence will be scheduled later this summer. Contact KT to stay abreast of events.

KT at Innovations in New Product Development & Marketing Conference

amarshall@kepner-tregoe.com — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 14:16:20 -0400

Brad Golden, Global VP for Kepner-Tregoe's Consumer Packaged Goods Practice, and Drew Marshall, KT's Chief Innovation Officer spent this past week at Frost & Sullivan's MindXchange^TM conference for senior business leaders in San Diego, California. The Conference was titled, "Innovations in New Product Development & Marketing."

Big Decisions Demand Process Rigor - on Vice Presidential selection and Decision Analysis

amarshall@kepner-tregoe.com — Fri, 6 Jun 2008 12:08:14 -0400

Only 18 months and the primary election cycle in the United States has (finally) ground to a halt. The victors, or almost victors, are steeling themselves for the general election process and one of their first critical decisions as their party’s representative for election to the highest office in the land – the selection of a running mate. For those of you who know KT, these are the beginning of a more robust set of objectives in what should be a comprehensive Decision Analysis.

KT Chief Innovation Officer, Drew Marshall, at Day 3 (May 21st) of the PMI EMEA Congress in Malta

amarshall@kepner-tregoe.com — Wed, 21 May 2008 13:43:26 -0400

KT's Chief Innovation Officer, Drew Marshall, is attending and presenting at the Project Management Insitute's EMEA (Europe, Middle East & Africa) Congress this week in St Julians, Malta. May 18-21. The final day at the PMI EMEA Congress ended well. Today, the range of subjects covered was almost as broad as the project management profession is applicable. To start, though, I led the day off with a presentation titled, "Filling the Baby Boomer Vacuum." The interesting fact of the presentation was that many in the audience had little understanding of the extent of this generational transformation taking place in around them in the organization in which they work.

KT CEO Andrew Graham on Innovation

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 13:22:35 -0400

Are some sectors better innovators? Why do some companies struggle to innovate? KT's Andrew Graham discusses innovation with Consulting Magazine.

KT Integrates eLearning into Service Offerings

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 14:25:11 -0400

KT has developed a comprehensive approach to eLearning that uses high-impact courseware and a powerful learning management system.

KT Webcast on March 18 at 3:30 pm ET: Keep it Simple with Lean

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 13:41:59 -0400

Kepner-Tregoe presents "Keep it Simple with Lean" a free, live webcast for anyone who wants to know more about Lean Office or Lean Manufacturing techniques. Develop an understanding of the major Lean concepts and learn how they help to identify and drive out waste. Recommend for anyone interested in initiating or expand a Lean program.

Shutdown Excellence Programs Control Cost & Risk

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 08:35:39 -0500

Without careful planning and risk management, delays can cause the cost of lost production to far exceed the planned maintenance costs of a shutdown. A small investment in KT is minimal compared to the total costs of your shutdown or the risks of a poorly executed shut with costly delays and incomplete projects.

New Tools from the Tregoe Education Forum

Thu, 7 Feb 2008 13:58:08 -0500

Since 1993, when Ben Tregoe founded the Tregoe Education Forum (www.tregoe.org), the Forum has worked to enhance collaborative problem-solving skills in schools and students. Central to its mission is its belief in the value of equipping young people with rational process in order to better meet life's challenges. To that end, the Forum has announced the launch of www.yourtake.org, a dynamic new problem-solving site for teenagers and educators. School subscribers to the site will have access to a variety of resources including SCAN, an innovative online tool for the classroom that draws on Situation Appraisal to help teens collaboratively examine complex issues and develop their own take on them.

As a member of the KT community, you are invited to donate a free subscription to your local school or any school in the US or Canada. A subscription is normally $299/year. It allows schools full access to the site and the opportunity to use its online resources with as many students as they like.

Webcast provides an overview of the acclaimed KT processes

Thu, 13 Sep 2007 15:42:01 -0400

For an overview of the basics of the KT methods for problem solving and decision making see our free webcast on the KT website.

Call for Entries--2007 KT International Process Achievement Awards

Wed, 25 Apr 2007 14:34:15 -0400

The Call for Entries is available online for the 2007 KT International Rational Process Achievement Awards. The awards honor the outstanding use of Kepner-Tregoe processes. Each year, individuals and organizations are recognized for using KT processes to save millions of dollars, pursue new business opportunities, manage complex projects, and resolve critical business issues. Last year's Grand Winners were OneSteel and Tokyo Electron.

Andrew Graham Named KT CEO

Tue, 30 Jan 2007 15:03:04 -0500

KT Chairman of the Board Peter Berger Announces new CEO Andrew Graham.

New Video Case Studies on KT Website

Fri, 27 Oct 2006 09:02:18 -0500

New to the KT website are two video case studies of Kepner-Tregoe manufacturing clients, Cement Australia and Burgmann Industries. The brief videos describe the success these clients have achieved working with KT. Use the searchable database at www.kepner-tregoe.com to review case studies of how client organizations achieve rapid operational and strategic results by taking a systematic, rational process approach. View them online and review other case studies. For more information contact info@kepner-tregoe.com