Knowledge Based Management: Unleashing the Power of Quality Improvement [Hardcover]

Stephen R. Schmidt (Author), Mark J. Kiemele (Author), Ronald J. Berdine (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 226 pages
• Publisher: Air Academy Pr (March 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1880156059
• ISBN-13: 978-1880156056
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #911,089 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Primer on Process Improvement, October 13, 2003

By 

Robert A. Drensek (Huntsville, AL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Knowledge Based Management: Unleashing the Power of Quality Improvement (Hardcover)

I thought the book was an excellent introduction to the topic of process improvement, where the author argues that we should manage processes from the vantage point of knowledge of them. By this they mean more than knowing how the work gets done, but what is the cost of failure, what are the key defect types, what are the sources of the defects, and knowing the tools to address these issues.

If you are an expert in the topics of quality, process management, 6 sigma, this may not be the book for you to expand your knowledge. This may be a good book for you to use as a tool to help a manager, colleague, or someone less familar get a grounding. There is a good discussion of problem solving, the requisite tools, process mapping, and a good primer on why it is important to business.

I would read Demings "Out of the Crisis", and then pick up this book. There are may others that I would include on the list, but this is a good start.

If you are looking for an excellent discussion on DOE, Taguachi Techniques, and other sophisticated methods, go elsewhere. If you are looking for a well thoughout introduction to the idea that we need to solve problems by fixing processes and not people, this is an excellent book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent managers guide to KBM and Six Sigma, October 5, 2004

By 

R Redfern (Lancs, UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Knowledge Based Management: Unleashing the Power of Quality Improvement (Hardcover)

This book is an excellent KBM and Six Sigma primer. Designed by it's authors to be read in it's entirety by business executives or managers in the duration of a short plane journey (2-3 hours), this books adopts it's philosophy of KISS (Keep it Simple...) in order to communicate it's ideas.

The book's format is light (0.6kg) and compact (23.5cm x 15.5cm x 2.4cm). Its style is light and easy to read, with frequent diagrams. At the same time it manages to be informative and pass on profound quality improvement knowledge.

While it is American in flavour, I have personally found that the powerful underlying messages of quality improvement translate well internationally across Europe.

5.0 out of 5 stars A truly good book...., November 2, 2006

By 

Paul P. Moraes "Paul" (Benicia, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Knowledge Based Management: Unleashing the Power of Quality Improvement (Hardcover)

Outstanding is the best word to use if you need a book that can give you a basic understanding of the leading KBM practices. Six Sigma to defect analysis and most concepts in between are covered in an easy-to-read and follow manner. I was so impressed, I bought six copies for my management team and asked them to read it on their next flight (the book can be read in one sitting).