2008 Call for Papers – Focus Area Descriptions

Generational Diversity – The workplace continues to change as the Baby Boom generation reaches retirement age and younger staff replaces them. Yet, many older workers choose to remain active in the workforce, either in a full- or part-time capacity. The differences in knowledge, expertise and interest pose challenges and opportunities for every organization and every group within the organization. Each generation has its own culture, motivations and priorities. By better understanding the generations that make up today’s workforce employers can target or broaden their recruitment and retention strategies.

Can quality play a role in managing and integrating this diverse workforce? If so, how? What tools can help organizations cope with the realities of employees that:

  • Are less apt to have a long career with one company?
  • Must manage their own growth and knowledge?
  • Are more skilled with computers?
  • Are more able to work in teams and virtually?
  • Are less “hands-on” with the machines and techniques that produce products?

Virtual Universe – The world continues to shrink. We are connected 24/7 to virtually every place on earth. Managing and working within this continuous flow environment places new strains on organizations seeking to maintain, ensure and improve the quality of the product or service they offer to the customer. Organizations can shorten their product development times. New and innovative ideas are available from diverse cultural perspectives. There are barriers that we must overcome.

  • Is it possible for organizations to thrive in such an environment?
  • How do we assure customer confidence?
  • Will virtual 24/7 teams be effective in communication, trust and task transfers?
  • Can we overcome the concerns about information security?

Innovation/Application – New products, new processes and a new workforce face each of us every day. Our companies expect us to develop innovative practical ideas that drive value to our customers and the bottom line. Emerging economies and countries new to the global economy drive innovation. How do we answer these questions?

  • Does the quality culture facilitate innovation the way it should?
  • Does “do it right the first time” fit with “be first to market?”
  • How does quality define innovation?
  • What aspects of value must emerge from innovation? Are they too limited to an increase in customer value and/or producer value to be considered successful?

Business Excellence –Each organization needs a culture to drive excellence. Companies drive this forward momentum through companies’ desire to “live” – which often means increasing profits, market share, customer loyalty, innovation and penetration into new markets.

  • How do professionals at every level understand excellence in this context?
  • How do companies drive it into their cultures?
  • Do you maintain excellence linearly or cyclically?
  • What does excellence do for competitive environments and growth? What finally determines excellence?
  • What leads organizations from management to inspirational leadership?
  • Is performance management the logical outgrowth of performance measurement?

Knowledge Transfer – Transfer tribal knowledge, career roadmaps, mentoring and training. How does a new professional speed up their learning curve? How do people learn today and how do they expand knowledge? Professionals on the move need to share knowledge, lessons learned, and best practices. How do they do that?

Teams – How do we use teams to drive culture changes that drive improvements? What case studies demonstrate overcoming barriers and achieving results? When is the best time to formalize teams? What are ways to speed up the learning curve of team performance? What are some success stories of effective teams? More teams are virtual. How do these teams deal with challenges such as language, culture and transfer of proprietary knowledge?