Debra Mervyn- The Mervyn Group
April 10, 2024
Thirty years ago, before NAFTA (Reagan, Bush initiated and passed by Clinton administration) began to outsource manufacturing to Mexico. More than twenty years ago, outsourcing kicked into high gear under the Clinton and Bush administrations U.S.-China Trade Agreement. Prior to these “trade” agreements, U.S. companies focused on creativity, engineering, diversity of products, quality, and cost. Planned obsolescence did not exist. Following especially the U.S China agreement, product diversity and quality began to deteriorate, exponentially.
Over ten years ago, Volvo released a video showcasing a test demonstrating the creative engineering behind its Volvo Dynamic Steering System. Riding between two trucks was Jean Claude Van Damme. I watched this video again and again ten years ago, likely because of Van Damme. I rewatched many of his movies. Last week the vision captured by this test crossed my mind again.
Watching the test now, I see creative engineering, precision, and quality; a truck designed and engineered by knowledgeable, well educated, and creative engineers and software developers who actually wrote computer programs to make this steering system possible.
I see leadership and management that enabled Volvo to be ranked in the top three truck manufacturers in the world. I see a company who ensured its manufacturing processes were robust and focused on quality.
And I see a mind and body functioning to perfection for a purpose for which it was created. Van Damme contained no embedded Artificial Intelligence (AI), nanotech or mRNA brain or body altering technology. The truck, test and Van Damme’s body and mind are amazing!
If the truck had been designed, engineered, and manufactured under current manufacturing and supply chain conditions, it may not have been possible, due to the risk associated with parts procurement and manufacturing quality and delivery.
It would not have been amazing if a robot created by Elon Musk, or the Japanese had performed this same test. What is amazing about a machine being able to do the splits as the trucks travel in reverse? Nothing. It is because Van Damme is a human being with a divine mind that this test is amazing.
What if Van Damme was riding the trucks and a part dropped off, or door opened (like Boeing)? Or cybersecurity breach threw the trucks out of alignment (like the Baltimore Bridge incident)? Let your imagination take you away. Now with the Boeing aircraft and Baltimore Bridge incidents and coverups, we know many of us have been traveling subject to similar risks.
Should we be looking forward to minds embedded with mRNA technology and nanotech and a grim future where engineering and manufacturing is done by AI robots offshore? Or should we recollect and recapture what was lost and rebuild on the foundational systems that made civilization? See Business Renaissance Article.
It is time for a positive, expansive vision for the future built from recollection and a strong foundation.
Top strategy and Tactics for 2024- Recap
In our first article this year, The Mervyn Group outlined business risks and top strategies and tactics for 2024. Our second article described one of these solutions, tactical planning to support strategy. The third article described recent regulations impacting businesses, forever chemicals and fluoride, and the reason to question and resist and fight these regulations. Our last article focused on Boeing and was released after the National Transportation Safety Board published its preliminary findings regarding the Boeing Mis-Installed 737 MAX 9 Door Plug That Blew Off and just before six or seven other incidents broke on national media, including the mysterious death of a whistle blower who died right after his testimony. Our Boeing article focused on four of the risks and strategies described in the first article: 1. leadership, 2. strategy and business management; 3. quality systems; 4. supplier and procurement; and 5. workforce. These risks are an ever-increasing challenge for every company, in the U.S.
Solutions to these challenges were presented in 2023 articles and will be augmented in upcoming articles.
Business Operating Systems Strategy and Quality
Workforce- Knowledge and turnover
TMG Team
The Mervyn Group is partnering with colleagues to deliver effective solutions to business risks and challenges. This month John Lee, Outsourced VP of Sales – Fractional Sales Consultant joined our team.
We will help you envision and plan for a future without compromising your values. We will evaluate your value stream and partner with you to quickly implement solutions and sustainable improvements to achieve your vision and goals. We will help you set and establish your vision, reduce risk, decrease costs, and improve profitability. We will measure it!
Meet the Team
Debra Mervyn- Founder/ President – New Product Introduction, Quality, Operations Excellence
John Lee- Strategic Partner– Sales and Marketing
Paul Menig Strategic Partner – Business Strategic Growth
Steve Winters- Strategic Partner – Quality, Operations Excellence, Project Management
Julie Ring- Resource Partner – Quality Systems and Assessment
Diane Gibson- Resource Partner – Organizational Architecture and Excellence
Learn more about evaluating and optimizing your business and quality systems.
Contact Debra Mervyn- Debra@MervynGroup.com
