Improvement management

What´s improvement management?

Improvement management is a practice that allows leaders to create an environment where everyone and every company is looking for ways to make processes better. 

It derives from the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) methodology which is commonly used to improve systems and employee performance.

What´s the SAFE AEO framework?

The SAFE Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade is an unique international instrument that sets forth the principles and the standards and presents them for adoption as a minimal threshold of what should be done by WCO Members in order to improve modern supply chain security standards and the end-to-end management of goods moving across borders while recognizing the significance of a closer partnership between Customs and business.

Is there any reason to relate those concepts?

Yes, as an International Trade professional and based on my experience by implementing this PDCA method in different businesses a crazy idea came to my mind:

What if we apply these improvement management on the Customs standards implementation?

This way we are not just watching the way Customs "improve" their performance, but we (as its users) give some feedback on their areas of opportunity.

 

Few weeks ago I posted an idea on LinkedIn about #improvement mangement in the #SAFE #AEO framework, this idea considers three basic actions that we (as consultants, leaders, managers, operators and analysts) may practice:

a) Spread and explain
b) Plan and organize
c) Control and act

So, by considering the #SAFE framework and by practicing this process, we may generate good practices and valuable data to understand the way foreign trade and customs performance are affecting our competitiveness as a country. This general structure may be useful for businesses when measuring and evaluating the customs performance, but in a very objective way, not just opinions.

These are the variables and the scale that I suggest to implement:

Imagine a country where #Customs receive feedback from its users and so, could improve. Well, I think it is possible.

This is a way we may contribute to the commercial policy and to the CUSTOMS TO BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS.