Implementing a lean business philosophy can transform an organization, bringing with it huge benefits in terms of reduced operating costs, decreased lead times, and increased customer satisfaction, along with a marked improvement in employee morale, customer loyalty, and quality of products and services. The lean business model – while originally developed within the US and Japanese automotive manufacturing industries – has proven its worth time and again in every field imaginable – from retail and manufacture to central government administration.
The right management is crucial for lean companies. As we shall see, lean is not just a set of tools that can be applied to any situation to reap rewards. Lean management involves taking a holistic approach to developing a specific culture throughout an organization – and a lean business culture can only be achieved if everyone buys in. A lean manager must, guide, coach and inspire – but beyond this they must be open and ready to learn on every step of their journey of continuous improvement.
This book will explore in more detail the specific role played by management in lean companies, before delving into the lean toolkit to show you what resources are available and how to get the most from them.