10/26 Poll:What Drives Success?

[Frank Chloupek]

Current Poll Question:

What is your top driver of future business success?

• New production innovation
• High-skilled, flexible workforce
• Low-cost producer status

Vote Now at:

http://www.industryweek.com#Poll

After you have voted, post your comments in this thread.

For a NAM study on the same topic see: Profitable Manufacturers Focus on Talent Management

[Rog]

Of course one has to define success and to me success means that you continue to operate and provide long standing, equitable and sustainable value to your communities. Communities includes employees and their families, local communities and the community of shareholders.

This can never be achieved by driving to become the lowest cost producer.

It can be achieved through innovation but my vote goes to a skilled and flexible labor force because without that even your best innovations may never be realized.

Of course the missing option was a skilled, flexible and COMMITTED labor force because without committment one gets afraction of the available capability.

There is precious little done by most organizations to genertae sustainable committment. It is not a given right that comes from paying a wage.

[Frank Chloupek]

What is your top driver of future business success?

• New production innovation -- 34.54%
• High-skilled, flexible workforce -- 41.24%
• Low-cost producer status -- 24.23%

Workforce first, followed by inovation, with cost third.