Operational Excellence: Journey to Creating Sustainable Value

CHAPTER 1OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE—THE IMPERATIVE

The term Operational Excellence describes the ideal state of an operating enterprise. It has great cachet at the highest executive levels and is being incorporated into the working culture by organizations committed to being the very best in all business, mission, and operating activities. Whether yours is among the great performing enterprises dedicated to remaining great, a good performer aspiring to become great, or one of the large number who know improvements are essential for continuing success, Operational Excellence and an effective Operational Excellence program are musts. This chapter and the following ones will define Operational Excellence concepts, principles, values, and requirements. Why Operational Excellence is a business and operating imperative, how the program and supporting elements must be mastered, and how Operational Excellence is implemented to achieve greatest results are all described in detail.

DEFINITION OF OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE

Operational Excellence is an ideal descriptive term; in two words it clearly defines applicability and objective:

Operational refers to an operating enterprise, one that uses some physical means to produce and/or deliver a product and comply with a mission. Thus, Operational Excellence applies to a broad spectrum of industries and operating entities: process, production, power generation and distribution, continuous and discrete manufacturing, mining, food and beverage, life ...