The original Mid-Course Correction, published 20 years ago, became a classic in the sustainability field. It put forth a new vision for what its author, Ray C. Anderson, called the “prototypical company of the 21st century”—a restorative company that does no harm to society or the environment. In Mid-Course Correction, Anderson recounts his eureka moment as founder and leader of Interface, Inc., one of the world’s largest carpet and flooring companies, and one that was doing business in all the usual ways. Bit by bit, he began learning how much environmental destruction companies like his had caused, prompting him to make a radical change. Mid-Course Correction not only outlined what eco-centered leadership looks like, it also mapped out a specific set of goals for Anderson’s company to eliminate its environmental footprint. Those goals remain visionary even today, and this second edition delves into how Interface worked toward making them a reality, birthing one of the most innovative and successful corporate sustainability efforts in the world. The new edition also explores why we need to create not only prototypical companies, but also the prototypical economy of the twenty-first century. As our global economy shifts toward sustainability, challenges like building the circular economy and reversing global warming present tremendous opportunities for business and industry. Mid-Course Correction Revisted contains a new foreword by Paul Hawken, several new chapters by Ray C. Anderson Foundation executive director John A. Lanier, and interviews with Janine Benyus, Joel Makower, Andrew Winston, Ellen MacArthur and other leaders in green enterprise, the circular economy, and biomimicry. A wide range of business readers—from sustainability professionals to green entrepreneurs to CEOs—will find both wise advice and concrete examples in this new look at a master in corporate and environmental leadership, and the legacy he left.

Revised edition, includes new foreword by Paul Hawken and and several new chapters by John A. Lanier.

TQM, Reengineering,Theory of Constraints, JIT,Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing . . . These are just some of the methods that, overthe past five decades, have promised to transformany manufacturing firm into a lean, mean, moneymakingmachine. While each incorporates certainfundamental truths, strengths, and benefits, theyare not panaceas. Nor do they necessarily providemuch-needed insight into the science that underliesfactory performance. James Ignizio, Ph.D., an internationally recognizedperformance optimization expert, believesthat only a balanced approach will provide thesignificant and sustainable improvement requiredof firms who will survive and prosper in thetwenty-first century. In this breakthrough guide, Dr. Ignizio picks upwhere such concepts as Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturingleave off to provide you with a holistic,three-dimensional approach to mastering the artand science of manufacturing. Focusing on the three primary enemiesof factory performance—complexity, variability,and lackluster leadership—Optimizing FactoryPerformance cuts to the heart of the problem ofless-than-world-class performance and demonstrateshow those enemies manifest themselves incompanies across manufacturing sectors. Ignizioalso explores the insidious effect company politicsand flagging commitment to manufacturing performancehave on competitiveness. Emphasizing the all-important, often overlookedthird dimension of manufacturing—factoryprotocols—Ignizio describes the types of strategicand tactical changes to physical plant and operatingprocedures any company can make to achieveperformance improvements. In addition, he arms youwith powerful, original metrics for measuring andcomparing factory performance, as well as a set ofinteractive simulation models, available online atwww.mhprofessional.com/ignizio. Running throughout the book is an oftenamusing, always instructive account of the fictionalhigh-tech firm, Muddle, Inc., which helps supportthe concepts discussed in the real world of manufacturing,while reinforcing key lessons learned. Read Optimizing Factory Performance and findout how to transform your organization into the kindof fast, agile manufacturer that delivers the rightproducts to the right customers at the right time—every time.