Anyone who has worked in a manufacturing or production environment as probably heard the term ‘lean manufacturing.’ The modern version of lean manufacturing originated with Toyota. Toyota developed and refined the lean process to more efficiently produce automobiles. Today, many industries outside of automobile manufacturing have adopted lean principles to improve their own processes. Lean manufacturing relies on kaizen or “change for the better” (Chandra, 2013). Kaizen in action means the elimination of waste in all forms: Motion, material, and most importantly, time. When I heard this term for the first time, I was working for Weatherford Oil Country. Our assembly workers were often missing in action for an hour or so out of the day. It turns out they were in a class, being taught the principles of lean manufacturing and more specifically, the 5S and 5S+1 methodology (The “+1” was designated at the Weatherford shop as ‘safety’). So what exactly is 5S? 5S is a method for improving productivity and reducing wasteful motions. It comes from five Japanese words:

Seiri (Sort)

Seiton (Straighten, Set)

Seiso (Shine, Sweep)

Seiketsu (Standardize)

Shitsuke (Sustain)*

*(Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma Definitions, n.d.)

At Weatherford, these principles took shape in a total revamping of the assembly-test area. All assembly workers were to set up tool racks, complete without outlines of the tools to ensure everything had a designated place. When the tools were not being used, they must be returned to their place. Everything around the test area that didn’t need to be there was removed. Any tools that were unnecessary for the test procedures were removed. Also, tools essential for performing test procedures were placed within arms-reach of mechanics to eliminate the wasted time of having to walk to a toolbox to retrieve them. The floors around the test area were pressure-washed and coating applied to designate walking areas and floor storage areas, complete with a circle on the floor where the hazardous waste can sat. Unfortunately, management did not keep up with the 5S process (i.e. sustain) and eventually, it was scrapped.

The importance of Japan’s influence in the field of manufacturing cannot be overstated. Nearly every industry has adapted lean manufacturing principles or 5S in some way. At my current company, Baker Hughes, GE, we have utilized lean principles to an almost annoying degree. Everything is monitored for wastes of time and materials. I guess that’s what happens when the Project Manager is a Lean expert. Below is a small example of our 5S system at work at BHGE:

References

Chandra, P. V. (2013). 12 Essential Lean concepts and tools. Retrieved from https://www.processexcellencenetwork.com/lean-six-sigma-business-transformation/articles/12-essential-lean-concepts-and-tools

What does 5S stand for? (n.d.). Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma Definitions. Retrieved from http://leansixsigmadefinition.com/glossary/5s/

Negotiation is an integral part of business. When we want something that someone else has, e.g. product, service, or even their business, we engage in negotiations to hammer out a deal that is in our best interest to achieve the desired end. Sometimes we can accomplish this; sometimes we fail and the deal falls through. Negotiation is an art form; our text refers to it as being similar to “a dance where partners in the dance influence each other (Moran, Abramson, & Moran, 2014, p. 71). My example is not international-culture example – it is an example of a clash of cultures from within our own country, pitting Texas against California.

In 2007, I was working for Weatherford Oil Country, a small subsidiary of Weatherford International. At the time, oil prices were high and business was booming. All of the us, the employees, were confident in our job security. Shortly thereafter, the oil market started to slump – a seriously steep slump. Suddenly, the confidence and high morale that were once palpable within the assembly plant were replaced by uncertainty and fear. Even managers feared for their jobs – they tended to be the first to go in some cases.

During the upswing, the company had been developing some promising new technology. The product developed was a new type of ‘jaw’ for tubing tongs, making the tong’s use safer and quicker. This new product caught the eye of National Oilwell Varco, a large oilfield services company. We soon began hearing rumors of a buy-out. NOV wanted to buy us from Weatherford. At the time, we were all excited, thinking that this move might shield us from the oil market downturn. My manager even jokingly slapped an NOV decal on his Weatherford hard hat (which he quickly removed when the General Manager walked through the plant). There was optimism in the air again.

Each day, we would ask about the progress of the negotiations from an employee ‘in the know.’ Things were looking up for us. Moran, Abramson, & Moran (2014) explain that in Western cultures negotiations are broken up into smaller, easier to work through portions. As these small portions were wrapped up in a positive manner, excitement grew. Then came the axe.

Everyone waited to hear the word from our manager that the deal was set and we were now NOV Oil Country. Unfortunately, negotiations were abruptly ended by the NOV team though they were so near to a deal. It seems that our negotiating team, headed by our GM, was dead-set on ruining the negotiations by not budging on what was reported as a ridiculous price for the company (considering the assets and revenue of Oil Country). NOV’s negotiators evidently decided that Weatherford was asking too much and backed out at the 11^th hour. We were all deflated. We pinned our hopes and our jobs on this deal, and it seemed like our managers sabotaged a great opportunity. With the possibility of a buy-out gone and our hopes dashed, the fear crept back into the shop. Soon after, the layoffs began…

Afterwards, a handful of employees remained and did so until this most recent oil downturn. Now, the entire company has left the Ventura shop and moved to God knows where. If only Weatherford’s negotiators had a better understanding of their Texas counterparts, this story may have had a completely different ending. This incident cemented, in my mind, the importance of negotiations – well-thought out negotiations. It is vital to understand your counterparts and this is even more important when dealing with international business. Otherwise, your company could end up as another Oil Country.

References:

Moran, R. T., Abramson, N. R., & Moran, S. V. (2014). Managing Cultural Differences (Ninth ed.). New York: Routledge. 

Oil Country Product Catalog: http://worldpetroleumsupply.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Weatherford.pdf

Image retrieved from http://www.mediationpractice.ie/negotiation

 

 For the first 23 years of my life, I grew up in a small village (yes, village) in northeast Pennsylvania. There was only 500 people in my town; there was little diversity among them. It was a small town both figuratively and literally – complete with some disdain for big cities and especially for places like California. To some, California was nothing but hippies and surfers. In March of 2001, I moved to Ventura, California. I thought it was great! The beach was within walking distance and I had never seen a palm tree before. I was living the dream. Eventually, the little bit of money I had saved to move began to dwindle and I needed a job. I had a few short-lived ventures before I started working for Weatherford Oil Country in August of that year. It was to be a life-changing experience for me…

 Before Weatherford, I had really been exposed to diversity at a workplace, particularly racial and ethnic diversity – surface-level diversity, basically (OLEAD 410 online notes, 2018). Here, I was one of the few white guys; everyone else was Mexican, many who came straight from Mexico. It was strange to hear Spanish spoken nearly exclusively, with only a few of the Mexican workers speaking decent English. It was a difficult transition, but I managed. A few years passed and it was time for the 2004 Presidential election. I learned that many of my co-workers differed from me as far as ideals and values were concerned. This is referred to as deep-level diversity (OLEAD 410 online notes, 2018). I realized that our differences went deeper than the surface, but at the same time, I considered many of them my friends and I didn’t let these differences change that.

 Working with such a diverse group of individuals was challenging at first: I was afraid to venture outside my comfort zone and meet new people who were much different from myself and my usual circle. That experience changed my opinion of the concept of diversity and how it can have a positive impact in the workplace. I learned my craft from someone who was different from me in nearly every way and I appreciate having had the chance to learn from him. The lesson he taught went beyond the job and affected my outlook on workplace diversity.

References

OLEAD 410 online notes. (2018). Penn State World Campus, Pennsylvania State University.

Ethnocentrism – we’re all guilty of it to some degree. Everyone at some point has weighed their own culture against the culture of a foreign country and found that the home team almost always comes out on top, so to speak. Ethnocentrism is defined as “the belief in the inherent superiority of one’s own ethnic group or culture” (Dictionary.com, n.d.). Generally, those who have this view have little firsthand experience with other cultures and the only ‘experience’ they have is through long-perpetuated stereotypes. The reality is that no one culture is superior to another; all cultures have value and developing a deeper understanding of foreign cultures is a critical component to growth within the global business community.

I work for Baker Hughes, a GE company. At the facility I work in, we manufacture oilfield pumping units – gigantic structures that weigh many thousands of pounds. I never realized just how big these things were until I saw one up close and personal. Sure, I had seen them in the local oilfields from the vehicle I was riding in, but never in close proximity. So, yes, these pieces of equipment are quite impressive. We assemble and paint these units as component parts. They are shipped in containers from China as it is more cost-effective than using American fabricators. With that, I come to my example of ethnocentrism for this blog.

My story begins in November of 2017. We were told by our manager to expects 16 containers of parts coming from China through the port at Long Beach, California. As the containers arrived, myself and my three co-workers gave them a once-over. To me, it was interesting to see something that had come from another country and the fact that the container was sealed in China and was about to opened in front of us was probably a little more exciting than it should have been. As we unpacked the containers, we found we had issues with some of the support structures holding the components. The steel was buckling under the weight of the parts. We all blamed poor Chinese craftsmanship for the problem (ethnocentrism #1).

After we had unloaded the containers are were moving the parts to inventory, our inspector started asking about the sizes of the parts. The size was listed on a laminated placard tied to the part, which he could clearly see. I looked at the placard and said the sizes are in metric units. After I helped him convert from metric to standard, he said jokingly that “everything should be measured in American.” (ethnocentrism #2).

I’m not going to claim to be above such statements – I have made many similar remarks myself. However, after unloading all of those containers, I started to think about the process the Chinese used to get those parts to us. Another co-worker, curious as to how the containers were loaded, looked up a Youtube video on the subject; we were all impressed with the Chinese innovation and technology and agreed we would benefit from some of it here. I thought about how well the materials were secured inside the containers and it made me admire the Chinese work ethic – they certainly do what it takes to get the job done.

As I conclude this blog post, I want to reiterate that everyone has a bit of ethnocentrism in them – it’s perfectly natural to believe your tribe is better than their tribe. But, in today’s world where equipment you assemble and paint to be shipped to North Dakota is comprised of parts from China and bearings from Romania, it’s worth it to take the time to appreciate the hard work of all the people involved in that process. As our textbook states: “Culture does count,” (Moran, Abramson, & Moran, 2014, p. 5). A good leader recognizes the value that other cultures can add to an organization and takes the time to understand those cultures and the value they contribute.

 

References

Dictionary.com (n.d.). Ethnocentrism. Retrieved from http://www.dictionary.com/browse/ethnocentricity

Moran, R. T., Abramson, N. R., & Moran, S. V. (2014). Managing Cultural Differences (Ninth ed.). New York: Routledge.

I’m not big on introductions and talking about myself. My name is Jason Wylie and I live in Bakersfield, California. I currently work as the painter at Baker Hughes, GE’s Shafter, California Hub. It’s not a very interesting job, but it pays the bills. I haven’t actually ‘enjoyed’ a job since I was a supervisor four years ago. Damn, four years already.. 🙁

My goals are to get my degree (B.S. in Organizational Leadership) and find a better job, something that will make me want to go to work instead of just having to go to work. I enjoyed being a supervisor. I did that for two years, while working for Brock Services. We were an industrial painting contractor working in a coastal power plant. At the time, I lived in Ventura, California, which I really liked. Circumstances led me to move to Bakersfield, which is unfortunate, because you have to wear a respirator just to go outside sometimes. Horrible air quality.

I don’t have a favorite quote, nor do I have a picture to post. I am married but I have no kids of my own, only step-children.