Replies

1. 
   GClancy | Sep 27, 2002 07:55pm | #1

   Very interesting read.  I wasn't too surprised to hear 80% of Delta's products come from oversees.     Not sure if that's the whole story, or if things are are rosey now as they'd have us believe.  The article did tend to lean towards the cliche of old management screws up, then a couple of golden boys come along and save the day. Don't think it was that simple. 

    BTW,  what are "metrics"? 

1. 
   jeffn7 | Sep 27, 2002 08:14pm | #2

   I think in this case it was a double whammy with much of the previous porter cable mgmt leaving the company immediately before the consolidation.

   I can attest that Delta has really stepped up in their efforts to satisfy customers and address quality problems. As I have posted before, Delta really gave me 110% to fix a problem with new Unisaw, ultimately replacing the saw entirely.

1. 
   riverr1 | Sep 27, 2002 08:20pm | #3

   Metrics is a term from statistics. Maybe elsewhere too, but this is where I know it from. Easiest way to define metrics would be to say are weighted measurements with statistical values. 

1. 
   GClancy | Sep 28, 2002 12:38am | #4

   Well, I'm staying with the English system regardless.................

   GC

1. 
   riverr1 | Sep 28, 2002 01:02am | #5

   haha! Different metrics here. My degree is in economics and econometrics was one aspect of study and all based in statistics. Regardless, best to stick with English. As lord what's his name said, "lies, damn lies and statistics!"

   Don

2. 
   jeffn7 | Sep 28, 2002 03:12am | #6

   that is a definition of business metrics, of course it doesn't really offer much in the way of explanation.

   The metrics the article referred to were the measurements of business performance that the management team was benchmarking against. For example:

   - how many days does it take to pick-pack-ship an order once it has been placed

   - how many returns are being processed for quality reasons

   - what is the rate of employee turnover

   - how many days of inventory are being carried

   - and of course, the time honored 'what are my sales today relative to yesterday'

1. 
   DonaldCBrown | Sep 28, 2002 04:11am | #7

   At heart, of course, metrics simply means "measurements," the Anglicization of the Greek term. Each jargon-laden  field has its own definition.

   Edited 9/27/2002 10:11:00 PM ET by Donald C. Brown

2. 
   riverr1 | Sep 28, 2002 04:38am | #8

   Jeff,

   Standard statistics involves finding a standard deviation and maintaining, improving, or whatever the processes effecting the deviation. Using one of your examples, processing orders and time. The point of it is, "all things being equal," what is effecting a change. Metrics involves matrix algebra where all things are not equal. That's how aspects of whatever become weighted. Process changes may have large effects on some aspects of a process, but very little effect on others. With a matrix, the effects can be measured and altered and changed. The only other way is with trial and error. This probably still doesn't offer a whole lot of understanding. Maybe Stan can help, or maybe do a google search for "Chi Square," or other methods for definitions and explanations.

   Don

3. 
   jeffn7 | Sep 28, 2002 04:59pm | #9

   In business management, metrics and benchmarking are used to determine how you are doing today relative to yesterday, and relative to a best industry practice. Mean, median and deviation, among others, are methods of calculation.

4. 
   riverr1 | Sep 28, 2002 05:34pm | #10

   I agree, metric's can be used for this, but metrics is not standard statistics which could be used also. No big deal.

   Don

5. 
   BG | Sep 28, 2002 09:11pm | #11

   Aw come on, lets get esoteric....lol

   Remember the old 'S' curve that describes the production curve and the relationship between land, labor and capital? And then there was all those cross-elasticities described in the econometric models?  Metrics describes the performance parameters at which profits are maximized relative to risk.  They get rolled up into Dashboards...which like the one in your car tells you quickly if things are all right. 

   Of course very little of this has anything to do with the problems Delta/Porter Cable was having.  The issue there was meshing all the disjointed systems and processes with a management that was thinking about how to spend their bonus for the lucky deal with Lowe's.