Bottom up and top down are two popular modes for a lean transformation, but who has ever heard about an inside-out transformation? Inside-out is what Goodyear did for its transformation of global R&D and it is about helping the people who do the work to lead a successful transformation with a sponsor, training, coaching and empowerment. Discover how a successful transformation is one where the people involved are convinced they did it all by themselves. Learn how transformations such as this are also much easier to sustain.
Goodyear is one of the world’s largest tire companies. It employs approximately 68,000 people and manufactures its products in 50 facilities in 22 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. The Goodyear R&D organization received the AME Excellence award in 2016. www.goodyear.com
For nearly a decade, Norbert Majerus has been Goodyear’s lean champion in research and development. He has implemented a principles-based lean product development process its three global innovation centers. He has worked most of the disciplines in the Goodyear innovation centers in Luxembourg and Akron. Majerus has a master’s degree in chemistry from the Universitaet des Saarlandes, Saarbruecken, Germany His recently published first book, “Lean-driven Innovation," was awarded the Shingo Research award in 2016. 
