Performance excellence┬áMartin Ashcroft finds lean returning home to automotive through process improvements in a vehicle rental business. The business philosophy we now know as ÔÇ£leanÔÇØ has its roots in automotive manufacturing with Toyota. Many other industries have since seen its value, and the language of lean can now be heard in the corridors of healthcare facilities and financial institutions ÔÇö anywhere, in fact, where waste can be eliminated from processes.

Armour Group has grown steadily for more than 36 years with a business model that was way ahead of its time. Now it has brought environmental performance to a large office project with a first for Atlantic Canada, as Stuart McCrea explains to John OÔÇÖHanlonHalifax, Nova Scotia, goes back 260 years, having been only recently established when Captain James Cook wintered there and carried out his first surveys.

Water to wire┬áThe rising demand for clean renewable energy is causing a resurgence in new hydropower facilities, and Andritz Hydro is expanding in North America to meet it, learns Brendan A. Smith. Andritz Hydro, the market leader in design and supply of hydro turbines, has a diverse global presence. Headquartered in Graz, Austria, the parent company employs over 13,200 people around the world.

Leading lights┬áAny number of companies will broker power supplies for you, and many others will advise on energy-saving measures. American Energy Solutions will do all that and more, Ruari McCallion learns from Mike Moore.  When companies begin to take energy saving seriously, it can be a surprise to find out how much can be saved by quite simple measures. Close external doors, switch off power to unoccupied areas or unused equipment, change lighting to energy-saving technology and just watch the energy usage fall.

Resource deployment strategies┬áThe second article in the series on effective executive management during an economic downturn addresses the process of adjusting resource allocations during a period of reduced demand. IntroductionAn economic downturn tests a leaderÔÇÖs skills and mettle. In the first article of this series, we introduced a disciplined executive process to ensure that your company not only survives but is positioned to rapidly grow when economic conditions improve, as they will.

In part one of a new series, David Lengacher introduces the concept of simulation as the new differentiator in strategy development. Corporate strategy has undergone significant changes in the past few years, both in the process through which it is formed and the way that it is viewed. Gone are the days when large companies could get by with bloated mission statements and vague objectives in their annual report. With the advent of the balanced score card, organizations have become more focused on measuring performanceÔÇösometimes to a fault.

Technology is the best line of defense in surviving a prolonged and deep recession, says Russ Cereola, as it provides the foundation from which key employees make decisions that affect the bottom line. For many businesses, 2009 and 2010 will be financially troublesome and significantly less profitable than previous years. In fact, many companies will not survive what appears to be a deep and prolonged recession.

White Memorial Medical CenterWhite Memorial Medical Center took a proactive approach to meeting strict new building codes. The result is a building that meets those codes and achieves high levels of sustainability and energy savings, as Keith Regan learns.  The 1994 Northridge earthquake that rocked the Los Angeles area left its mark on Southern California. But nearly a decade and a half later, the impacts are still appearing in new buildings erected under the significantly tougher building codes passed in the wake of the tremor.

Electronics retail chain Circuit City has finally pulled the plug on its remaining 567 stores after not being able refinance or find a buyer for its failing business, resulting in the loss of 30,000 jobs.   As the second-largest consumer electronics retailer, Circuit City was hit by the general slowdown in US consumer spending, and had seen sales decline as it lost ground to larger rival Best Buy.

Johnson Controls, global leader of automotive interiors, building efficiency and power solutions, reported net sales of $7.3 billion and a loss of $608 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2009. The Milwaukee based company announced on December 16, 2008 that it expected a loss in the quarter, and excluding non-recurring, non-cash charges, the loss in the quarter was $82 million.