The “iceberg of ignorance” is a concept popularized by a 1989 study by Sidney Yoshida. It posited that frontline workers were aware of 100% of the floor problems faced by an organization, supervisors were aware of only 74%, middle managers were aware of only 9%, and senior executives were aware of only 4% of the problems.

The ability to evolve and leverage new processes, technologies and management styles keeps a business nimble and resilient to market conditions. With more than half of all companies failing in their first four years (51% of manufacturing companies), companies are being forced to change and adopt new philosophies.

Manufacturing companies have long struggled to find, hire, and retain qualified talent. It hasn’t gotten easier with record low unemployment and a persistent skills gap for STEM jobs. A 2015 report by the Manufacturing Institute estimated that as many as two million manufacturing jobs could go unfilled by 2025.