Short columns to introduce the major productivity methodologies, tools, and techniques taught in the APO Development of Productivity Practitioners: Basic Program, and Advanced Program. These articles are contributed by the course trainers to help readers understand the basic concepts and selected topics from the course curricula.

• Employee involvement through quality circles
• Green Productivity
• Cultivation of positive work attitudes through 5S
• Harnessing collective wisdom through employee suggestion schemes
• Understanding Six Sigma and DMAIC methodology (Part I)
• Understanding Six Sigma and DMAIC methodology (Part II)
• Benchmarking: Capturing best practices or breakthrough improvements
• Lean Management
• The Balanced Scorecard
• Work sampling
• Workplace cooperation and labor management councils
• Gearing up employees for corporate competitiveness through structured on-the-job training
• Just-in-time
• Value engineering
• Productivity assessment survey featuring value-added productivity measurement
• Business process reengineering
• Supply chain management
• Synopsis of the APO’s Toyota Production System projects
• Business excellence framework
• Making distance disappear: training via videoconference
• Increasing productivity through reducing “seven wastes” in operations
• Creating value through service innovation
• Small things matter for megawatts of savings