Does Lean Equal Honesty?
Here is a story from my plant, where we are in the early stages of a company wide lean implementation. I think this story shows how “old habits” can be hard to break. Inside the front door, we have a…
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All posts from Mark Graban’s LeanBlog.org, including podcasts, announcements, articles, and more.
Preventing Lean Failures: Reason #2: Lack of Communication
Preventing Lean Failures: Reason #2: Lack of Communication Come discuss the importance of management communication in your lean implementation efforts. Do you have any horror stories or tips to share? Check out the “Preventing Lean Failures” blog. Please check out…
Another Misguided Lean Article
Uncommon Sense: Is It Lean…or Just Anemic? Every once in a while I run across a very misguided article/column on lean, this one falls into that category. If you’re experienced with lean/TPS, you’ll recognize the traps this author has fallen…
LAPD Working on Lean Jails
L.A. Daily News Lean manufacturing, lean healthcare, now….. lean jails. The LAPD has gone through lean enterprise and TPS training through Toyota. “Last week, Chief William Bratton told the Board of Police Commissioners that Toyota methods have produced dramatic changes…
Preventing Lean Failures — New Blog
Click Here for the Blog: Reason #1: Lack of Top Down Management Support Click Here for the Blog: Reason #2: Lack of Communication I have been working with Larry Rubrich, from WCM Associates, and author of the recent book “How…
Toyota Runs Low on Expertise To Power Global Push
WSJ.com – Requires Subscription As Toyota grows, they are struggling with finding/keeping enough people who truly understand TPS tools and the Toyota Way. I’ll try to find a “free” version of this article but here are a few highlights (trust…
‘Lean’ manufacturing tested at local (NC) company
The Kinston Free Press Here is a nice little local story about a small (26 employees) company that started with lean (sounds like they did some training and a 5-day kaizen event to improve their production line). It’s always interesting…
Toyota’s Chief Bets on Hybrids, Squeezing Rivals
WSJ.com – Requires Subscription: In an article that talks about Toyota’s lead (along with Honda) in hybrid vehicles, Toyota’s new President references Kaizen. “Mr. Watanabe said Toyota, through its storied manufacturing system of kaizen, or continuous improvement, can reduce by…
Why are you wasting time at work?
Marshall Loeb’s Daily Money Tip – General News – Personal Finance First off, are you reading this at work? ;-) This has been in the news the past few days and all of the blame seems to be pointed at…
Acheiving Basic Stability Before One-Piece Flow
EMS Consulting Here is another newsletter article from EMS Consulting and Darren Dolcemascolo, a friend of this blog. His article reminds me of my days at GM, in an engine plant. Our plant had studied a Toyota engine plant and…
Can Infosys do a Toyota ?
Management & Marketing: Since we were talking about “lean software” yesterday…. I’m not an expert on Toyota history so I can’t validate every assumption made in this article. If you can, please click “Comments” below and let us know what…
Lean Software Development: differentiating push- and pull-based development
Steve Hebert’s Development Blog Keeping with the lean software theme, here is another in-depth post with references to other lean software websites, articles, and whitepapers. “Agile” development, along with another methodology called “Extreme Programming” are other lean-type methodologies that try…