Re: Lean Manufacturing - Discussion on Concepts
12345 asks:
"Why do we call this lean?"
I'm not sure. It's a bad moniker. I end up having to explain to employees that, no, it's not about getting rid of their jobs and to managers that, no, it's not (primarily) about cost cutting. And it sure as heck has nothing to do with getting "mean". I (and others) prefer to call it "agile manufacturing". For one, that's more accurate.
"...and why do we make a big hype about it?"
Who's making the big hype? The business press? They're in the business of selling mags. Of course they hype whatever they can. Consultants? We can't sell what folks don't want so which comes first the chicken (organizations ask us to provide specific services) or the egg (we market specific services that organizations buy)? If there were more hype, perhaps more organizations would actually be implementing it.
"Is it to get people to focus on what's needed in a business?"
Too much of the literature and discussion I've seen on lean has the wrong (or at least, slightly off track) focus as it is, so I don't think this is it.
"Why aren't we already focused on this?"
That's the $64,000 question. Why can't I get a roomful of senior execs who'll discuss at length the minutiae of carrier pricing to discuss the strategic implications of improved product quality? Point being, even the folks at the top of the house aren't focused on the right things.
"Why does a company needs so called "fads" to implement change?"
It's only a fad if you don't stick with it.
"All the things in lean / six sigma / VAVE are very simple concepts that we all do in our day to day family life ....but we dont have any consultants helping us on the way ...."
I don't have an accountant to help me balance my checkbook. I don't have a staff engineer to help me change the oil in my car. I don't have Emeril fix my supper. Families and most companies differ in goals, resources, and complexity. The comparison isn't apt.
