All News
(Coordinate Metrology Society: Concord, North Carolina) -- The Coordinate Metrology Society, a membership association for measurement professionals, will host its 24th Annual Coordinate Metrology Systems Conference (CMSC) 2008 from July 21–25, 2008 at the new Embassy Suites overlooking Lowes…
Heart of the orthogonal tracking microscope system developed at NIST is this nanoparticle solution sample well etched in silicon. Careful orientation of the silicon crystal makes it possible to chemically etch angled sides in the well so smooth they act as mirrors. In this…
This image shows how a microstamped primer on a cartridge casing is visualized using the Olympus LEXT platform. The image highlights the benefits of analysis and visualization using Confocal microscopy. Seen here are increases in resolution, depth of focus and contrast…
A farmer was experiencing a serious problem with cranes eating his seed, so he decided to cast a net upon his fields in an attempt to capture the cranes. Along with the cranes, he snared a stork. The stork pleaded for his life saying, "Honorable farmer, I am not like these others who came to steal…
(OSHA: New York) -- The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is requesting public comment on proposed information collection requirements for the Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP). Established in 1982 to promote cooperation among government, industry, and labor in the area of…
(ANSI: Washington, D.C.) -- From increased energy efficiency to integration with the latest information and communication technologies, the world’s attention is focused on commercial, government, and residential buildings that are accessible, safe, and sustainable. In today’s global trade…
(Pilgrim Software Inc.: Tampa, Florida) -- Pilgrim Software Inc., a provider of enterprise compliance and quality management software solutions, has announced the dates and locations of the third round of its “Knock Out Non-Compliance,” nationwide quality systems workshops tour. Pilgrim will…
(Best Practices LLC: Chapel Hill, North Carolina) -- The research findings in a recent report from Best Practices LLC are the culmination of extensive benchmark surveys and executive interviews. Initial surveys were conducted with executives at leading pharmaceutical companies. Analysts at…
(EIU: London) -- Although professional services firms often rely on their reputation to attract customers, only 40 percent of respondents in a recent Economist Intelligence Unit survey consider reputation to be a key factor in choosing a professional services firm. And 86 percent say they research…
(ANSI: New York) -- “Topping,” “hat-racking,” and “de-horning”—all names for a nonstandard pruning procedure that severely cuts back large trees—has long been considered an easy and inexpensive way to manage the size and improve the safety of mature trees. Researchers now caution that topping can…
This is the first of a new QualityInsider column that will discuss new practices, processes, tools, and lessons learned in what I think is the future of quality—risk management. I’ll feature quality and other professionals who use quality and risk in supply management, auditing, health care,…
This is the first of a new QualityInsider column that will discuss new practices, processes, tools, and lessons learned in what I think is the future of quality—risk management. I’ll feature quality and other professionals who use quality and risk in supply management, auditing, health care,…
Cardinal Health Alaris Products, which makes pumps and disposables used during infusions, was in critical shape in the late 1990s and needed to address improvement on all fronts. The prescription included improvements in customer satisfaction and in the company’s finances, which required the…
(Tefen USA: New York) -- The imminent surge of more than 70 million aging baby boomers could overwhelm the U.S. health care system and engulf the nation’s tenuous economy, according to “Will the Boom Bust Health Care?” a new study by management consulting firm Tefen USA. A recent report from…
(AHRQ: Rockville, Maryland) -- According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s (AHRQ) 2007 National Healthcare Quality Report and National Healthcare Disparities Report, quality improvement rates are lower than the 3.1 percent average annual improvement rate reported in 2006…
(IBM: Armonk, New York) -- Through the use of service oriented architecture (SOA), health care providers, clinics, and hospitals are set to improve productivity, increase quality, and reduce costs. Sponsored by IBM and a select group of business partners, the health care strategy is based on…
It’s an election year in the United States, and if there ever was a need for clarity in communication, it’s now. Yet no matter how specific the question or how many times it’s asked, the candidates from both parties just seem to drone on and on. If you think you don’t suffer from the same problems…
Few process improvement topics generate more questions or may be least understood than design of experiments (DOE). This is regrettable as DOE is probably one of the most important activities—after the charter definition—that a manager/Black Belt will be performing during the Six Sigma process.This…
(Pivotal Resources: Walnut Creek, California) -- At a time when rapid change is affecting nearly every industry, and the ability to adapt is business-critical, corporate America is still proving weak at turning change efforts into real results. A new study commissioned by Pivotal Resources…
(Dimension Data: New York) -- Fifty-nine percent of U.S. organizations have engaged with information technology infrastructure library (ITIL), a best practice framework for IT service delivery, according to research recently released by Dimension Data, an IT solutions and services provider.…
(Project Management Institute: Newtown Square, Pennsylvania) -- Students pursing a university-level degree in project management or a related field may be eligible for scholarships through the newly-established Dr. Harold Kerzner Scholarship Fund. The endowed scholarship fund was created by…
Starbucks’ announcement that it would close for three hours on February 26 to retrain about 135,000 in-store employees sent shudders through the thousands of coffee fanatics in the nation. Would java aficionados have to forego their venti-decaf-no foam-double vanilla-light whip-extra caramel-…
America needs you to get your act together. This isn’t just about jobs, although many people are getting hurt because of your mismanagement of three of the most important name brands in America. You’re a symbol of what used to be the strength of America, and you have lost your way. Two of you have…
(The Conference Board: New York) -- The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index, which had declined sharply in February, fell further in March. The Index now stands at 64.5, down from 76.4 in February. The Expectations index declined to 47.9 from 58.0. The Present Situation Index decreased to 89…
(The Joint Commission: Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois) -- Health care organizations, practitioners, purchasers, oversight bodies, and the public all rely on performance data to determine priority areas for quality improvement, evaluate performance, and make informed health care decisions. Yet, most…
