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Executives and Lean
INTRODUCTION
Lean and other quality initiatives often do not nd their way into a company through senior leader-
ship. These projects normally start at the middle-management level and trickle up and down. Senior
managers usually believe they have a good understanding of quality initiatives while often their
understanding is not as deep as they believe.
You do not need to go to Japan to see Lean at work. There are many companies to tour in
the United States, including Toyota. Most associations offer tours of companies working on Lean,
including the Association of Manufacturing Excellence, the Society of Manufacturing Engi