Consumer Products

A few words about the Consumer Products Industry

Consumer Products companies face an array of challenges as they race to serve an ever more demanding consumer base in a diverse and global landscape. As labor shortages, supply chain disruptions and economic uncertainty return to “normal,” scrutiny of company values, as well as environmental and societal impacts, continue to grow. Consumer products companies are facing crossroad decisions around capital expenditure, product development, digitized manufacturing, regulatory issues, sustainability, and many more critical challenges that will define the next generation of leaders and losers.

Kepner-Tregoe helps market leaders to improve decision-making skills that will drive their global growth and successful business development. KT’s methodologies include advanced critical thinking capabilities that help address topics ranging from strategic planning through to day-to-day organizational challenges. Our consulting and training services help companies achieve the best outcomes for product development, manufacturing initiatives and capital spending.

To learn more about Kepner-Tregoe consulting and training solutions for the Consumer Products and light manufacturing industries, contact Kepner-Tregoe.

Success Stories

Challenge

A food products company worked with Kepner-Tregoe to redesign their product development process defining new roles and responsibilities and new commercialization activities.

months for program implementation

project managers trained

Results

The product development program was complex and demanding. The KT team helped the client stay on course, guided by clear objectives and metrics. The project was completed on time and on budget.

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Business Process Improvement Project

Design and install a process for improved procurement and maintenance of intellectual property that results in measurable business results.

38%

reduction in IP processing costs

75%

reduced senior executive review

Results

The new process realized a 38% reduction in IP processing costs and reduced risk to key assets. This was accomplished by shifting elements of IP legal processing to internal legal counsel, establishing more stringent criteria to evaluate which existing patents and trademarks to renew, and eliminating the renewal of those that offered no value.

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All Stories

Insights

How Leaders Use Balanced Decision-Making Skills to Move Organizations Forward

In every organization, decisions must be made and actions taken. Usually, the realm of decision making is the responsibility of company leaders. They must select the actions, determine how they will be carried out, and be accountable for the implementation of the decision and for the subsequent results.

Strategic Response—Linking Innovation to Strategy

“Differentiate or die!” Differentiation through product and service innovation is how we will survive and thrive. But in these challenging times, we cannot afford to squander scarce resources on poor ideas. Let’s look at how to ensure innovation is effective.

Applying continuous improvement to your production management processes

Beginning and sustaining an improvement journey can often mean fighting naysayers, inertia and reluctance to change work routines, even the bad ones. Yet, the perfect marriage of a continuous improvement culture and effective production management creates consistent, world-class performance.

The Consequences of Choice: The Final Step in Decision Making

The negative consequences of any action are as tangible as its benefits, sometimes more so. Before moving ahead with a decision, it is imperative to consider risk: the possible adverse consequences of feasible alternatives.

Testimonials

Ray Miko

“Rational process made it possible to uncover great savings without reducing staff and disrupting the organization.”

V.P. Organizational Development , Ricoh Corporation

Joseph Carl Allen

“Some view these processes as tools, but the processes have a use that is more important, yet more subtle. Rational process teaches people to think before they act. People learn that they don’t have to know the answer right away. They don’t have to have a theory immediately. First, you think.”

Plant Manager, Erwin Complex  Corning Environmental Technologies

CEO

“The KT processes provided a common approach and helped sift through tons of data, ask penetrating questions, and take the emotion out of decision making.”

Consumer Products Company

Vice President of Marketing

“When KT processes are used, executive management is satisfied without needing to see all the details. Often just knowing that KT process was used, is enough.”

Consumer Products Company

Factory Manager

“Kepner-Tregoe’s Analytic Trouble Shooting techniques are helping us to move away from a problem-solving approach based purely on experience, with no analysis and at best patchy ‘hard information.’  Our old approach often resulted in situations when the problem reoccurred again later.”

Consumer Products Company

Operations Director

“The Kepner-Tregoe Analytic Trouble Shooting approach is not just another problem-solving tool.  It is a great enabler to empower teams.  It delivers solutions that really work and are owned by different levels of employees within the business. It often prevents the problems from being pushed up or down the traditional hierarchy. ”

Consumer Products Company