Strategic Direction in a Competitive Environment | |
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EHS Advisor Abstracts |
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This section contains abstracts for various articles Mr. MacLean has published. To be notified of new articles as they become available, please join our email list. November
2001 The experience
gained over the past 30 years in solving local pollution issues and addressing
employee health and
safety concerns properly positions U.S. government and industry to face
emerging global environmental
challenges...or does it?
July
2001 This
month, EH&S Advisor explores the struggle of small businesses implementing
and sustaining environmental, health, and safety (EH&S) programs.
Most small businesses don't have the workload or the resources to justify
employing a full-time EH&S person, yet their regulatory needs or operational
concerns may demand the expertise of an experienced professional. Picking
names from the Yellow Pages to help resolve issues that could make or
break a small firm is never the best strategy when seeking expertise.
Over the past decade, there has emerged a new breed of consultant that
uses new marketing techniques to fill this void; the person I call the
"trusted partner." March
2001 February
2001
The
EHS Advisor takes a look at adult education this month. There is more
to it than you may think. Unfortunately, our role model of how to educate
is based on the primary and secondary education system that we endured
while growing up. Talking heads - the foundation of how we were taught
- does not cut it with adults. There are better techniques.
January 2001 "Why
Consultants Generally Suck" This month The EHS
Advisor takes a look at the chasm that can sometimes exist between clients
and consultants. We offer some suggestions on how to close the gap. Doing
the Deal This is the final
of a three-part EHS Advisor column on business transactions. In September
2000 we explored the politics of "doing the deal" and some best
management practices of leading companies based on a survey by Richard MacLean. Last month, we examined specific approaches to business risk
assessments. We now analyze the value of environmental management system
assessments in mergers and acquisitions activities. Doing
the Deal This is the second
of a three-part EHS Advisor column on business transactions. In September
2000 we explored the politics of "doing the deal" and some best
management practices of leading companies based on a survey by Richard MacLean. In this second, we examine specific approaches to business
risk assessments based on input from experienced consultants. In the final
appearing in November 2000, we analyze the value of environmental management
systems assessments in mergers and acquisitions activities. Doing
the Deal With so much at stake, one would expect that EHS support for business transactions is a finely tuned and closely managed operation. Wrong. It is often ad hoc, with the EHS managers brought in at the 11th hour to rubber stamp a deal steam rolling along. This is the first
of a three-part EHS Advisor column on business transactions. In this,
the first, we explore the internal politics of "doing the deal" based on a survey of best management practices of leading companies conducted
by Richard MacLean. In the second appearing next month, we
examine specific approaches to property risk assessments. In the final,
appearing in November 2000, we analyze the value of environmental management
system assessments in merger and acquisition activities. Metrics
Will Matter This is the first
of several columns that will be devoted to EHS metrics over the next year.
Future columns will examine the "what and the how" of metrics
and this one takes a look at the why, namely emerging trends that will
drive more robust metric systems. If this material is new to you, I recommend
that you become a very fast learner - the long term implications for your
company may be very significant. Vision
Alignment This month's EHS Advisor
takes a closer look at the issue and offers suggestions on how you can
gain closure with management. The advice is primarily directed at mid-to
large corporations where access to upper management is at a premium. The
underlying principles hold true, however, for small companies and individual
manufacturing sites. Corporate
Environmental Reports The EHS Advisor offers
some suggestions for making your reporting credible. It's harder than
you think, judging from our evaluation of recent reports. Reporting has
grown more sophisticated, but so too have expectations and analysis techniques.
What may be viewed by many as excellent reporting may be judged by others
as flawed, inconsistent, and even deceitful. How do you avoid the greenwash
traps that can prove to be embarrassing, if not damaging to your company's
reputation? Start with a three dimensional evaluation. Strategic
Environmental Management The successful
managers are the ones that draw from their prior experience, but also
recognize that some of these principles may not apply anymore, and indeed
may now be counter productive. There may be a whole lot more to this EHS
game than meets the eye. The EHS Advisor takes a look at the basic resource
library that every EHS manager should have nearby and how to use this
information effectively. This article is not about regulatory compliance,
nor is it about basic management skills; it's about resources to strategically
manage EHS.
Should
E be Separate or Combined With H&S?
Crystal
Ball Gazing
February
2000 The concepts that
form the foundation of an EMS are very simple to comprehend and articulate.
So too are the concepts underlying many other business techniques such
as Reengineering, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), and Total Quality
Management (TQM). Indeed, TQM forms much of the sub-structure of an EMS.
As simple as these business strategies are conceptually, they are deceptively
challenging to implement and achieve their full value. Rolling out an
EMS is no exception. You may have an EMS in place, but is it delivering
the full benefits you expected? This article discusses a number of key,
but often overlooked steps in implementing a successful EMS. January
2000 This article points
out a two-stage revolution in management thinking and the management information
systems that support it. The march towards enterprise resource planning
(ERP) is on. Unfortunately, EHS issues have been for the most part left
on the sidelines, given little consideration in the perspectives and information
systems that are shaping this revolution. If your company has moved or
is in the process of moving towards an ERP system such as SAP or J.D.
Edwards, it will be important to fully understand the long-term implications
for EHS. The most immediate impact will be on the design of the Environmental
Management Information Systems (EMIS). December
1999 SCEM is a growing
issue that is receiving increased attention in a variety of sectors, particularly
electronics. It holds strong implications for suppliers at each stage
of the manufacturing process, as well as for end users of finished goods
and services. This article outlines the evolution of SCEM, current trends,
and provides some advice on positioning your organizations to take strategic
advantage of SCEM. November
1999 Very old joke, but
what's the connection to environmental, health and safety? It is this:
having excellent contacts is absolutely essential. Indeed, it may be the
most important aspect of your career, yet it is often the element that
is managed haphazardly, if at all. This article presents some guidance
to building your own network of contacts.
October
1999 Obtaining frank,
cutting edge advice in todays dynamic business climate represents
one of the challenges to managing an EHS department. EHS managers are
experts at finding sound technical advice and support. What is much more
difficult is to obtain strategic advice that will address questions such
as "How will the external world react to the proposed new product
introduction?" and "Are there fundamental flaws in the companys
direction on this issue?" This column provides some suggestions on
how you might obtain answers to the more complex issues you face in your
job. September
1999 The ideal time to
make a strong business case to support training is before the cuts come;
a proactive rather than reactive approach. In this article we examine
some of the strategies you can use to build a strong professional development
program for you and your employees. Even if the budget is already at bare
bones, the approach may be effective in maintaining or expanding current
training programs. August
1999 In this first article the authors describe the need for this column in todays rapidly changing work environment, provide the ground rules for the potentially controversial material that will appear from time to time, and ask for your feedback and contributions to future articles.
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