Greater Houston Deming Association Invitation

["Mike A Woolbert" <mawoolb@ppco.com>]

GHDA Challenging Conventional Wisdom  - Mainstream Thoughts and Radical
Critiques

The Greater Houston Deming Association is dedicated to thoughtful
examination of ideas, theories and practices relating to current and future
business management.  At our meetings we discuss Dr. Deming's principles as
they relate to the 21st century and beyond.  We ask what would Deming be
talking about now?  The discussions are free flowing and provocative.  If
the status quo at your company seems to make less and less sense, if you
have the nagging feeling that things aren't quite right, or if you have
great ideas that have yet to find an audience, this is the place for you.
Our membership includes business owners, academics, consultants, Fortune
100 company internal consultants and an occasional irascible iconoclast.

We do not limit ourselves to a narrow definition of Dr. Deming's thoughts.
We look at applications and theories that relate to Deming's work in the
broadest terms possible.  Our horizons are expanded and knowledge base
enriched by interaction with other members.  The purpose of our meetings is
to plant new ideas, nurture unique perspectives and sometime shake strongly
held beliefs to their very foundations.  Each member has to find the
application for the ideas and practices on their own, but the raw material
is provided in abundance.  Recent meetings have included such diverse
topics as Total Productive Maintenance as it relates to Deming's 14 Points
and an in depth review of Elliott Jacques' theories on complex thinking as
it applies to current management practices.

We pick a topic each quarter. The first meeting of the quarter starts with
a presentation by a local expert or a video of a nationally known guru.  A
wide-open discussion follows the presentation.  Almost all topics we have
covered so far have lead to other related topics.  Exploring these related
topics consume the next two meetings of the quarter.  Our fourth quarter
topic will be: "What is management?"  Is management obsolete in a world of
teams and cooperation?  Is command and control making a comeback or did it
ever really decline?  Is management's aim self-interest, company success or
are they the same things?  Are we coming out of the crisis or are going
deeper into it?

We meet the first Friday of each month at the University of Houston
Technology Center room 386.  Our meetings run from 7:30 to 9:30 AM.  Isn't
it about time you really put your brain in gear?  Please join us October
5th and see what it's like to get out of your box and envision a different
future.

Thanks, Mike

"In times of change, learners inherit the earth, while the learned find
themselves equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists."