Abstract
Manufacturing firms such as Patriot Machine, Inc. (Patriot) need a narrative case study of leadership practices. Such an undertaking fosters the best methods of providing technical training and skills experience to rapidly develop the next generation of engineers and skilled technical trade workers in the following areas: traditional manufacturing methods, continuous improvement, innovation, and continuous innovation. This effort is critical to Patriot and other industry leaders. A system view of the industry suggests that The Boeing Company’s two tragic 737 MAX aircraft crashes and the overall industry disruption caused by the worldwide coronavirus pandemic have resulted levels of devastation that changed the industry forever. Leaders of world-class aerospace structural parts and assembly manufacturers recognize the urgency of replenishing the talent pipeline but often lack the mental models and comprehensive frameworks—such as The Patriot Strategic Leadership Framework for Workforce Development: A Process Model for Cultivating Technical Talent and Knowledge Creation through the SECI spiral model (The Patriot Strategic Leadership Framework for Workforce Development)—needed to align training practices with strategic business objectives and effectively meet customer needs, a goal best accomplished with coordinated teamwork (Nonaka & Takeuchi, 1995). Therefore, a long-term barrier to success is the leadership’s ability to develop a comprehensive, strategic, foundational framework that supports workforce development and ensures a robust talent pipeline for the aerospace sector.