What's Driving the New Economy? The Benefits of Workplace Innovation

Using a unique nationally representative sample of U.S. establishments surveyed in both 1993 and 1996, we examine the relationship between workplace innovations and establishment productivity and wages. Using both cross-sectional and longitudinal data, we find evidence that high-performance workplace practices are associated with both higher productivity and higher wages. Specifically, we find a positive and significant relationship between the proportion of non-managers using computers and the productivity of establishments. We find that firms re-engineer their workplaces and incorporate` more high-performance practices experience higher productivity. For example, profit sharing is associated with increased productivity, and employee voice has a large positive effect on productivity when it is implemented in the context of unionized establishments. These workplace practices appear to explain a large part of the movement in multifactor productivity over the 1993-96 period. When we examine the determinants of wages within these establishments, we find that re-engineering a workplace to incorporate more high-performance practices leads to higher wages. However, increasing the usage of profit sharing results in lower regular pay for workers, especially technical workers and clerical/sales workers. Finally, increasing the percentage of workers meeting regularly in groups has a larger positive effect on wages in unionized establishments

Applying value stream mapping to eliminate waste: a case study of an original equipment manufacturer for the automotive industry

Since its beginning, lean manufacturing has built a worldwide reputation based on results related to production improvement and cost reduction in several companies. This management philosophy focuses on customer value creation through the elimination of production wastes. Lean methods and techniques have spread their scope from the automotive industry to a wide range of industries and services. This article presents a case study that describes the use of the lean tool value stream mapping in the production process of automotive parts for a major automotive company. At the beginning of the project, relevant data from the process were collected and analysed. Subsequently, the initial process was mapped, the related wastes were identified, and then future processes were mapped and financial results were estimated. The proposals were presented on kaizen meetings, the action plan was discussed and the decision regarding which option to choose was taken. Consequently, the Cycle Time and the level of the workforce were reduced, the process was improved and savings were obtained

Comparative analysis of performance indicators at world auto assembly plants

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management, 1988.Bibliography: leaves 120-124.by John F. Krafcik.M.S

Gas-Phase Reactivities and Interchromophoric Effects in 1,n -Dicarbazolylalkane Cations and Related Species

The behavior of gaseous cations derived from electron ionization (20 and 70 eV) and methane chemical ionization (CI) of 1,n-dicarbazolylalkanes la-5a (where n = 1-5 methylene units, respectively) and the corresponding 3-nitro derivatives lb-Sb was examined using mass spectrometry. An iminium ion (mlz 180) is the major fragment from all 1-5 examined with the exception of 4a, for which CI affords predominantly a pyrrolidinium ion (m/z 222) by displacement of carbazole. Compounds la and lb exhibit little [MI\u27+ and [M + H]+ and undergo the most extensive fragmentation. Ethylated iminium ion (mlz 208) is observed from both la and lb under CI conditions, indicating operation of an interannular hydrogen shift. Compound 3a fragments least, consistent with an exceptional, although small, stabilization for the parent ions of this derivative

A 2:1 complex of 1,3-bis­(9H-carbazol-9-yl)propane and tetra­chloro-p-benzoquinone (p-chloranil)

In the title electron donor–acceptor complex, C27H22N2·0.5C6Cl4O2, the p-chloranil mol­ecule lies on a crystallographic inversion center, which is located at the center of the benzene ring. In the crystal structure, one p-chloranil mol­ecule lies above and below the central rings of each donor group of two neighboring 1,3-bis­(9H-carbazol-9-yl)propane mol­ecules, with a ring-centroid separation of 3.444 (1) Å. The angle between the planes of the stacking rings of the carbazole and p-chloranil mol­ecules is 3.4 (2)°

A 2:1 complex of 1,3-bis­(9H-carbazol-9-yl)propane and tetra­chloro-p-benzoquinone (p-chloranil)

In the title electron donor–acceptor complex, C27H22N2·0.5C6Cl4O2, the p-chloranil mol­ecule lies on a crystallographic inversion center, which is located at the center of the benzene ring. In the crystal structure, one p-chloranil mol­ecule lies above and below the central rings of each donor group of two neighboring 1,3-bis­(9H-carbazol-9-yl)propane mol­ecules, with a ring-centroid separation of 3.444 (1) Å. The angle between the planes of the stacking rings of the carbazole and p-chloranil mol­ecules is 3.4 (2)°

Donor-Acceptor Complexes of Alkylcarbazole and Dicarbazolylalkane Donors with the Acceptors Tetracyanoethylene and Tetranitromethane

Electron donor−acceptor complexes of conformationally flexible 1,n-dicarbazolylalkanes (C12H8N−(CH2)n−NC12H8), where n = 1−5, were examined. Carbazole, methylcarbazole, ethylcarbazole, and cyanoethylcarbazole also were studied as monochromophoric analogues for comparison. In dichloromethane solution, the dicarbazolylalkanes form 1:1 complexes with the terminal carbazolyl chromophores acting as independent donors when n ≥ 2. With the acceptor tetranitromethane (TNM), the carbazoles form contact complexes displaying small positive enthalpies of formation. In contrast, stable complexes form with the acceptor tetracyanoethylene (TCNE). Crystalline TCNE complexes were isolated for the bichromophoric donors with n = 2−4. The solid complexes and their uncomplexed donor components were analyzed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The solid-state stoichiometries of (carbazolyl donor):(TCNE acceptor) were found to depend on the donor conformation. Dicarbazolylalkane donors separated by two or four methylene units exhibit a 1:1 donor:acceptor ratio and form stacked arrays of alternating donor and acceptor groups. A three-carbon bridging alkyl chain leads to local sandwich-type complexes in the solid state with a resulting donor:acceptor ratio of 4:1

How To Compete: The Impact Of Workplace Practices And Information Technology On Productivity

Using data from a unique nationally representative sample of businesses, we examine the impact of workplace practices, information technology, and human capital investments on productivity. We estimate an augmented Cobb-Douglas production function with both cross section and panel data covering the period of 1987-1993, using both within and GMM estimators. We find that it is not whether an employer adopts a particular work practice but rather how that work practice is actually implemented within the establishment that is associated with higher productivity. Unionized establishments that have adopted human resource practices that promote joint decision making coupled with incentive-based compensation have higher productivity than other similar nonunion plants, whereas unionized businesses that maintain more traditional labor management relations have lower productivity. Finally, plant productivity is higher in businesses with more-educated workers or greater computer usage by nonmanagerial employees. © 2001 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology