Interesting Discussion Does Lean hold the key to success? Is Lean the ideal vehicle for moving forward?

Mike S. said:

IMO we have a number of quite good and capable "vehicles" but some are still insisting on using a horse and buggy or crawling along -- in other words, IMO it is not the shortage of knowledge we suffer from as much as it is the shortage of implementation.

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That's not a bad analogy either... ...and it brings us right back to management again...

/Claes

Claes Gefvenberg said:

...and it brings us right back to management again...

/Claes

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Exactly!

Most experts agree that the NY Yankees baseball team has the best collection (or certainly one of the best collections) of talented players (workers) in the game today, and they are expected to be one of the winningest, if not the winningest, team this year. But if they were managed as poorly as many companies are today I have no doubt that they would be near the bottom in wins.

I would love to see the day when the vast majority of companies had properly and passionately implemented whatever "vehicle" they chose as a management system and our biggest challenge was to simply decide if there was truly a "best" vehicle. IMO very few elite companies are ready for this kind of debate. But it would do wonders for the national economy of whatever country achieved it.

Mike S. said:

Exactly!

Most experts agree that the NY Yankees baseball team has the best collection (or certainly one of the best collections) of talented players (workers) in the game today, and they are expected to be one of the winningest, if not the winningest, team this year. But if they were managed as poorly as many companies are today I have no doubt that they would be near the bottom in wins.

I would love to see the day when the vast majority of companies had properly and passionately implemented whatever "vehicle" they chose as a management system and our biggest challenge was to simply decide if there was truly a "best" vehicle. IMO very few elite companies are ready for this kind of debate. But it would do wonders for the national economy of whatever country achieved it.

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I like your analogy. . . I wonder what the effect would be if Joe Torre decided to change the method of play at 2nd base, and didn't look at, or modify the Short Stop or 3rd Baseman's MO??

Sound familiar??

bpritts said:

Much of what we call "Lean" seems to be somewhat of a hodgepodge of techniques, some very specific to long term repetitive manufacturing,(e.g. Toyota Production System techniques); others
just basic philosophy (avoid waste and strive for continual improvement).
Brad

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While doing research on Six Sigma, I started seeing more of a tie to lean manufacturing techniques. The goals of lean manufacturing were stated as:
· Reduce cycle time
· Improve quality
· Reduce Inventory
· Reduce errors in general
· Reduce costs
· Eliminate wastes- Non value added activities

The concept was that Six Sigma would not be applied if waiting time is to be reduced since lean tools are more appropriate to reduce waiting time. Six sigma tools are more appropriate if variation is to be addressed. Lean manufacturing included tools such as value stream mapping, visual management of the work place (5S) and Kaizen.

Bill Pflanz

Bill Pflanz said:

While doing research on Six Sigma, I started seeing more of a tie to lean manufacturing techniques. The goals of lean manufacturing were stated as:
· Reduce cycle time
· Improve quality
· Reduce Inventory
· Reduce errors in general
· Reduce costs
· Eliminate wastes- Non value added activities

The concept was that Six Sigma would not be applied if waiting time is to be reduced since lean tools are more appropriate to reduce waiting time. Six sigma tools are more appropriate if variation is to be addressed. Lean manufacturing included tools such as value stream mapping, visual management of the work place (5S) and Kaizen.

Bill Pflanz

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Lean without the process optimization = JIT. . . Junk In Time


Really need both to be totally effective. This is another re-packaging of earlier efforts. . .

WALLACE said:

Since there is an emphasis on Lean tools, techniques and philosophies in this century. Does the group believe that Lean shall be transformed by the needs of western business practices or, shall Lean transform the western concepts of business practices?
Deming, Crosby, Juran, Hendry Ford, Toyoda and many others have certainly contributed to the modern structure of Lean. Does the group believe that Lean is an ideal vehicle for moving forward in this century, the theories and practices of the Quality Gurus mentioned?
Wallace.

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Lean is but one of the tools in the inventory available to a quality manager. It is a very good tool, but used alone as the only tool, it would be like attempting to remove a bolt with a screwdriver. The aspect of the Toyota Production System that is so often overlooked by western culture is the fact that personnel at ALL levels are trained on ALL of the quality tools and how and when to use them. There is NO majic bullet, there is only an understanding of the tools available and when and how to use them.

Quality programs/initiatives based on Lean, Six Sigma, JIT, whatever the Fad of the Day; can be successful for a time, but any of these used/relied upon by themselves will be limited in success just as a screwdriver is a useful tool but l wouldn't attempt to rebuild my car with it alone.

Right on the money Dave. . .

So tell me, why can't the QM's get the support for the long haul? Does it come down tto that oxymoron Management committment again?

My point regarding Lean is; does or can Lean tools and techniques benefit Business practices?

You're right Dave, Lean is only part of the equation yet, the tools and techniques of Lean are IMO FWIW, system oriented. The system orientation of Lean encourages and infuses systems thinking into a system that is ready for it.

I use as an example the FPS (Ford Production System) measurables of SQDCME (Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, Morale, Environment). I know, I know, I must sound like an old record by now when, I speak of this yet, the Toyota production System is a Lean system and, Lean has its origins at the Ford Rouge river plant. FPS and TPS have Lean tools, techniques, business processes and other tools available that compliment Lean. Lean is basically the corner stone of success for Toyota and more so these days Ford. One size certainly doesn't fit all yet, I firmly believe that Lean may the benchmark for this century regarding system efficacy.

Wallace.

ddhartma said:

The aspect of the Toyota Production System that is so often overlooked by western culture is the fact that personnel at ALL levels are trained on ALL of the quality tools and how and when to use them. There is NO majic bullet, there is only an understanding of the tools available and when and how to use them.

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Right... Not to mention a lot of hard work, and above all: Persistence. We often give up at the first hint of resistance. Instead of PDCA we PDQ (plan, do, quit).

/Claes

Going back to a thread in the comments in particular from Claes and the Taz,
it seems to me that a big piece of the problem is the tendency as noted to

... skim the best looking parts from it without ever realizing that a circuit needs all its wires and breakers and things to work.

I have a colleague who does this, and uses the Pareto principle to justify it.
(Why not just take the 20% of the system that gives 80% of the results.)
When I suggest that the Pareto principle does not apply to a complex system
he thinks I'm being too technical.

As has been pointed out, the folk at Toyota appear to be extremely patient
and persistent in staying on top of all of the elements of the system, including management innovation, quality tools, training, retention of employees,
effective industrial engineering, and more. Unfortunately many of our
companies do not yet grasp this profound knowledge.

Brad