Both private and publicly financed organizations are faced with providing higher quality services while lowering the cost of delivering those services. All of this in an environment of:

• A worsening global economy.
• Major US companies in serious financial crisis.
• Dwindling capital resources.
• Reduced operating budgets.
• Reduced funding of public sector programs at the federal, state & local levels.
• Increasing demand for services & support.
• Rapidly changing demographics.
• Public scrutiny regarding tax increases & bond elections.
• Changing political & economic landscape.

• Over the last 10 years, many of the Fortune 100 companies have either dissolved, been replaced, sold, or merged with other firms.
• Many of those same firms were considered “effective & efficient”; e.g. certifications in ISO 9000, 14000, 22000, 27000, Baldridge, TQM, & Six Sigma.
• Even public sector organizations are experiencing the same fate as their private sector counterparts.

Why?

Top 3 reasons:

1. Lack of fiscal accountability.
2. Lack of focus and resources on “core” business.
3. No sense of urgency.