Harvard Business School Visiting VIBCO Vibrators to See a Lean Culture in Action
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A delegation from Harvard Business School will make a "field trip" to VIBCO Vibrators headquarters and manufacturing facility on March 9 at 1:00 pm for an end-to-end plant tour and discussion of how lean manufacturing concepts are directly applicable to the School's administration. The visit is part of the School's approach to continued learning and development for its staff and faculty.
3/3/2010 - Last week it was the School Committee from Sharon, Massachusetts... next week it's thirty members of the Harvard Business School administration. What's bringing educators by the busload (literally) to visit VIBCO Vibrators?
The idea to bring Harvard Business School administrators to VIBCO started with Benson Shapiro, Professor Emeritus. Dr. Shapiro visited the company's headquarters several months ago and was impressed by VIBCO's organizational culture and the potential for lean to have positive impacts far beyond the manufacturing floor. Shapiro spearheaded the effort to add a VIBCO field trip to the extensive professional development efforts already underway at Harvard Business School.
"I'm excited and humbled by the opportunity to share what we've learned with the Harvard Business School team," says Karl Wadensten, VIBCO President. "Lean is the foundation of how we do business - how we engage the creativity, knowledge and spirit of each person here at VIBCO. I applaud HBS for recognizing that Lean is transferable to any industry and for 'coming to the gemba' [the actual place of work]. Visiting our plant provides a unique opportunity to get a complete end-to-end look at a high functioning lean culture including front office, production, shop floor, shipping and everything in between."
The Harvard team will include representatives from across the School's management team including the Dean’s Office,MBA and Doctoral Programs, Business Operations, Faculty Research , Finance, Human Resources, Executive Education, Information Technology, Publishing, Operations, Knowledge and Library Services, Marketing, and External Relations.
"Harvard Business School is a learning community. Our research is based in observing management in practice, reflecting on what we've seen and learning from it," said Professor Ben Shapiro. "VIBCO has a great story to tell and its something that a lot of management teams would benefit from hearing."
About Harvard Business School
Founded in 1908 as part of Harvard University, Harvard Business School is located on a 40-acre campus in Boston. Its faculty of more than 200 offers full-time programs leading to the MBA and doctoral degrees, as well as more than 70 open enrollment Executive Education programs and more than 70 custom programs. For a century, HBS faculty have drawn on their research, their experience in working with organizations worldwide, and their passion for teaching to educate leaders who have shaped the practice of business and entrepreneurship around the globe.
About VIBCO Vibrators
VIBCO Vibrators is committed to producing a complete product portfolio that is 100% Made in the USA. VIBCO sought and was awarded a $49,380 Comprehensive Worker Training Grant from the Governor's Workforce Board (maximum award is $50,000) to continue and expand training and learning opportunities for all VIBCO employees. VIBCO is a winner of the PBN Best Places to Work in Rhode Island, is a winner of the Progressive Manufacturing PM100 Award, and is a past winner of a Providence Business News Business Excellence Award.
Founded in 1962, VIBCO Vibrators designs, manufacturers and markets a comprehensive range of electric, pneumatic and hydraulic vibrators for construction and industrial use. VIBCO Vibrators also designs, manufactures and markets a complete line of vibratory plate compactors and rollers. All standard VIBCO products are available from stock same or next day and the company is committed to quality, throughput and innovation. VIBCO Vibrators is headquartered in Wyoming, RI, USA.
VIBCO Vibrators sponsors LeanRI.org – a collaborative effort of private citizens, business leaders, educators, government workers, and elected officials with the sole purpose of transitioning a fundamentally broken system into a highly productive engine of growth that is sustainable and continuously improving. Through education and the implementation of universally accepted best practices within a climate of continuous improvement, Rhode Island will dramatically differentiate itself and begin to retain and grow its existing workforce, attract new business, and provide more efficient services in the public and private sector.
Phone: 401-539-2392
Email: vibrators@vibco.com
Web: www.vibco.com
VIBCO, We’re the Expert Vibrator Guys.TM
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