About this Presentation
Harold was leading all of the organizations stated above, decided on the improvement path, sponsored the implementation, and observed business results. He went through the challenge of generating the management team buy-in to the TOC implementation, supporting its progress, drove the results and documented achievements. This was not always easy. Harold's current operation of AP is headquartered in Livonia, MI with two plant locations -one in Livonia and the other in Oshkosh, WI. However, we would like to share Harold's TOC implementation journey of 5 different organizations (BELOW) over the last 10 or so years. Harold was in a leadership role (CEO) during all of these projects. 1. Applied Process, Livonia, MI - 2017; 2. Tecumseh Products Company (TPC), Ann Arbor, MI - 2015; 3. Wolverine Tube Inc. (WTI), Shawnee, OK - 2013; 4. Wolverine Joining Technologies (WJT), Warwick, RI - 2012; 5. Great lakes Copper (GLC), London, ON - 2008 Two of these organizations have already shared their detailed achievements during the TOCICO conferences - GLC (New York, 2011) and TPC (Leesburg, VA, 2016). Collection, TIP and Simulation provided the basis of the “three-legged stool” that was critical to the success of the process as it moved from concept to routine. This organization was known as Throughput Analysis and Simulation, or TAS. Indeed, one of the most successful aspects of the overall TIP process its existence for 30 years and its acceptance as a standard process in manufacturing and design. Plant designers look at simulation, with its TOC concepts in the background, as something as basic as a plant layout – you would not design an automobile plant without a plant layout, nor would you design one without a simulation. Starting an improvement process isn't easy. Committing to a given improvement approach is even more challenging. Combining the two with a given industry unique characteristic and requirements created a big challenge for me while starting an improvement journey with each of my organizations. Just because it worked last time didn't mean it would work the next time around, in a different industry, different organization and with a different executive team. I was surprised how effective and flexible the TOC methodology was in order to be effective in the variety of business environments. In addition, there are some common executive sponsorship decisions that had to be made to ensure progress from one project stage to the next. Some of them were more difficult than others - especially around personnel changes. However, playing a CEO card, from time to time, turned out to be required. I believe that most of the 400 participants will appreciate my lessons learnt and will enjoy the story. Video length: . PDF: slides.
What Will You Learn
To help you get the most value from this session, we’ve highlighted a few key points. These takeaways capture the main ideas and practical insights from the presentation, making it easier for you to review, reflect, and apply what you’ve learned.
Theory of Constraints (TOC) can significantly improve business performance, including increasing throughput, reducing inventory, and improving profitability.
TOC can be applied in a variety of businesses, including manufacturing.
The implementation of TOC requires strong management support and a willingness to change existing processes.
Instructor(s)
Harold Karp
Ms Alka Wadhwa
Alka Wadhwa is an experienced consultant and process improvement expert with over 24 years of expertise in the Theory of Constraints (TOC), Lean Six Sigma, and organizational performance optimization. She has successfully led projects in healthcare, financial services, and manufacturing, driving significant improvements such as a 67% boost in hospital operations and a 140% increase in outpatient visits.
Previously, Alka Wadhwa spent 17+ years at GE Global Research Center, where she led initiatives to enhance various GE businesses through advanced technologies, process redesign, and system optimization. Founder of Better Solutions Consulting, LLC, she specializes in using TOC, Six Sigma, and data analytics to streamline operations and build high-performance teams.
Her work has earned her multiple accolades, including the Empire State Award of Excellence in healthcare.
Dr Gary Wadhwa
Dr. Gary Wadhwa is a Board Certified Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon with extensive experience in the field. He completed his Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery training at Montefiore Hospital, Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, NY, and has served as an Attending at prestigious institutions like St. Peters Hospitals, Ellis Hospital, and Beth Israel Hospital in NY. With a career spanning over two decades, he was the former CEO and President of a group specialty practice in NY from 1994 to 2015. Dr. Wadhwa holds an MBA from UT at Knoxville, TN, and has undergone additional training in System Dynamics at MIT, Health System Management at Harvard Business School, and Entrepreneurship and healthcare innovations at Columbia Business School. Committed to expanding access to Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery care, he is currently engaged in a meaningful project to provide healthcare services to underserved populations in inner city and rural areas through non-profit Community Health Centers.