Hello these are discussion post that are meant to be responded with only 75 -90 words using your own words.
1. Instructor: For benchmarking, some companies are reluctant to share their KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) so other companies cannot use them as their goals. There is also a thought that ‘how’ they are achieved is the secret! Success is rarely based on one thing, and is typically doing many things in a best practice form; from leadership, to customer support to hiring the right people. Culture is also very difficult to copy.
The Baldrige Performance Excellence Award asks its recipients to share their benchmarking so others can learn. Here is an interesting white paper on Motorola’s best kept secret as they were the first Baldrige Award recipient: Best Kept Secret
From the paper:
“Recipients are required to share information on their successful performance and quality strategies with other U.S. organizations. However, recipients are not required to share proprietary information, even if such information was part of their award application.”
This last sentence has had a massive impact on the success of thousands of organizations around the world over the last 20 years – for every organization that has implemented Motorola’s DMAIC Six Sigma process. Motorola took full advantage of the guidelines. It complied by revealing the basic strategy and structure of its Six Sigma Problem Solving process, its DMAIC framework, as the strategy for others to use to solve problems. However, Motorola correctly feared that revealing all the powerful tools it had used would be giving away the significant competitive advantage it had worked so hard to achieve. Doing so would have told all its direct and indirect competitors exactly how to close the gap. Consequently, Motorola taught its strategy and treated its critical tools as proprietary. It replaced the critical tools with generic TQM and SPC tools, much to the detriment of the rest of American industry.”
Class,
If you were an owner of a company, would share your benchmarks to help others?
Young, G. (n.d.). Best Kept Secret. Retrieved February 5, 2025, from
2. Student: Value-Added workflows of DB Schenker
DB Schenker’s global network and expertise across various modes of transport and specialized industries enable them to offer comprehensive and competitive solutions. (Schenker AG, 2014) They have leveraged logistics to develop innovative business models and achieve a competitive edge by integrating advanced technologies, fostering collaboration, and offering specialized, value-added services. This includes utilizing utilizes AI algorithms and data analytics to optimize land transport networks this allows them to focuses on efficient and environmentally conscious last-mile deliveries through smart route planning, real-time tracking, and the use of eco-friendly vehicles. Like the first logistics service provider in Germany to operate a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) in the 40-ton class. (Insight,2023) this all helps to improve route planning, and monitor conditions of goods in transit. This allows for real-time tracking, establishing open innovation networks. Furthermore, DB Schenker “offers tailored solutions for specific industries like aerospace, addressing the unique challenges of that sector with global expertise and a range of services.” (Schenker AG, 2014)
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