In the $2.4 billion quality marketplace, the majority of investments in the upcoming year will be made to improve productivity.

The local news ran a story celebrating Joe Taylor. Taylor, the quality control manager at Peer Bearing in Waukegan, IL, has not called in sick in his 50 years on the job even though he has a two-hour commute each way to work.

While there is debate about whether the economy is still in a recession or in recovery mode, one thing is for sure, companies are doing more with less. Worker productivity-the output per hour of all individuals-rose at a seasonally adjusted rate of 6.4% in the nonfarm business sector during the second quarter of 2009, following a pace of 0.3% during the first three months of the year, according to a report released in August by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Days before it was to take its first flight, The Boeing Co. announced in late June that the 787 Dreamliner debut would be delayed yet again.

No different than anyone else, economic conditions are the number one job concern of quality professionals. Despite the economic climate, almost half of quality professionals, 46%, say it’s the feeling of accomplishment that keeps them going and is the most important attribute in their current job, according to Quality Magazine’s 9th Annual State of the Profession survey.

Improving initial quality is a start for the Detroit automakers, but will it be enough to change people’s perceptions of them?

There’s much to be said for technology. In some respects, technology has made our lives and jobs easier and more efficient. But with so much information coming at us from all different directions in a variety of mediums, sometimes I long for the simpler days of flashlight tag, monkey bars, all-day baseball games at the park and lemonade stands.

As I write this, General Motors Corp. is preparing to lay off an additional 1,600 workers, to qualify for more government aid, and Chrysler LLC’s future is in question.

People are your most valuable asset. To get the most out of your employees, empower them.

As has been reported by numerous news outlets, new car sales have significantly decreased for the auto industry, but you might never guess that by the number of interested consumers who attended this year’s Chicago Auto Show.