Lean Evolution
Lessons from the Workplace

This book shows how lean thinking can be applied in practice, highlighting key challenges. For managers and business students.

Nick Rich (Author), Nicola Bateman (Author), Ann Esain (Author), Lynn Massey (Author), Donna Samuel (Author)

9780521843447, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 24 August 2006

228 pages
25.2 x 17.8 x 1.7 cm, 0.57 kg

"This book shows how lean thinking can be applied in practice, highlighting key challenges and pitfalls."
-Abstracts of Public Administration, Development, and Environment

Lean thinking is a powerful method that allows organizations to improve the productivity, efficiency and quality of their products or services. Achieving these benefits requires good teamwork, clear communication, intelligent use of resources and a commitment to continuous improvement. This book shows how lean thinking can be applied in practice, highlighting the key challenges and pitfalls. The authors, based at a leading centre for lean enterprise research, begin with an overview of the theory of lean thinking. They then explain the core tools and techniques and show how they can be applied successfully. The detailed implementation of lean thinking is illustrated by several case studies, from a range of industries, in which the authors had unprecedented access to the management teams. With its focus on implementation and practical solutions, this book will appeal to managers at all levels, as well as to business students and researchers in lean thinking.

1. Introduction
2. Understanding the lean journey
3. Understanding your organisation
4. Laying the foundation stone of CANDO
5. Visual management and performance measurement
6. Problem-solving, TQM, and six sigma
7. Pull systems
8. Total productive manufacturing (TPM)
9. Sustainability
10. Group learning
11. Final words
References.

Subject Areas: Technology: general issues [TB], Business & management [KJ]