The Ben Graham Corporation

The Ben Graham Corporation provided training workshops, consulting and coaching in continuous improvement of business processes (Process Improvement formerly referred to as Paperwork Simplification) for 65 year. Today, our focus is on providing continuous improvement resources and software.

Mission: The Ben Graham Corporation provides educational resources and software to advance, promote and put into practice the best methods and tools available for documenting, developing and improving business processes.

On employee involvement... "Participation by the workers in developing the method eliminates many kinds of resistance and insures enthusiastic acceptance. This is more important than all the techniques put together." Ben S. Graham Sr., June 2, 1958

From the Standard Register History Company Overview... "During the war years, Work Simplification was developed by a group of engineers which involved a Job Improvement Formula. This formula was transferred from the factory to the office by Ben S. Graham, Sr. in 1944 and used as an organized approach to the improvement of a problem or system. Standard Register called it Paperwork Simplification and the company was recognized as the originator of the Paperwork Simplification program." Copyright ©1995-2002 Standard Register

For over 60 years we conducted workshops, drew process charts and facilitated improvement teams. We conducted close to 1,000 workshops on this subject; educating people from over 1,000 organizations. We conducted workshops on four continents, educating delegates from around the world, representing a broad variety of industries as well as government at all levels.

Our roots go back to the 1940s with Work Simplification; defined as “the organized application of common sense”. Tools such as lists, charts, diagrams, etc. organize the facts. Common sense is found in the first-hand experience of the employees who do the work. We have worked with the pioneers of Work Improvement – Lillian Gilbreth (co-founder of motion study and co-developer of the first process charts) from 1944 until 1966, Allan Mogensen (founder of Work Simplification) from 1944 until 1987 and Art Spinanger who developed the multibillion-dollar Work Simplification/Deliberate Methods Change Program at Procter and Gamble. (See article “From Bricklayer to Microcomputer”.)

Our organization was founded in 1953 by Ben S. Graham, Sr. (1900 – 1960). He was educated in Work Simplification by Mogensen and Gilbreth (Art Spinanger also attended this workshop) (Class of 1944 Work Simplification Conference) Afterwards he adapted the Gilbreth process charts that were being used to improve factory work for use with more complex business processes. He was working with the Standard Register Company of Dayton, Ohio. He conducted his first education workshop as Ben S Graham Conferences in 1953. (Class of May 1954 Ben S Graham Work Simplification Conference) His purpose was to display processes so that employee teams could study them and streamline them. Standard Register would then design and provide forms that efficiently served the revised workflow. His process charting technique is now used worldwide and in its current form is the most effective methodology available today for Business Process Improvement. Ben S. Graham Sr. passed away in 1960 at the age of 59.

At the time of his father's death, Dr. Ben S. Graham Jr. was studying Industrial Engineering at UCLA under the tutelage of Ralph Barnes in anticipation of joining his father in business. Dr. Graham was approached by Lillian Gilbreth who offered to help him to continue his father’s work. She served as a mentor and good friend to Graham for six years. It was her keen focus on the workers that convinced Graham to pursue a doctorate in behavioral science (he earned his doctorate at UCLA with distinction). Dr. Graham has been an ambassador for work simplification throughout his career. He has educated people in organizations across the US and Canada, in South America, Europe and Australia. His workshops teach people how to facilitate an improvement project and Graham Process Mapping Software (which he introduced in 1990) is used by organizations on five continents. Graham’s focus on people has earned him not only clients but friends around the world.

Dr. Graham currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Ben Graham Corporation in Tipp City, OH.

Ben B Graham joined his father in 1989, just prior to the launch of Graham Process Mapping Software. Now, twenty-five years later, with a few name changes and continual improvements based on feedback from the people who use it, Graham Process Mapping 8.0, is currently helping people in hundreds of organizations gain better understanding of their business processes.

Ben B. Graham is the current President and CEO of the Ben Graham Corporation.