Making the Numbers Count, 2nd Edition

3 Lean Manufacturing*

Lean manufacturing is a loosely defined term that captures the all-embracing changes that have been taking place in Western manufacturing industry over the last 25 years or so. Prompted by competition from radically better companies, particularly Japanese companies, Western manufacturers have had to take a close look at their business approaches and practices. This has not been easy for many companies. The three decades after World War II were halcyon times for American industry. With rich resources, a well-educated workforce, superior technology, a large home market, and an excellent industrial infrastructure, American manufacturers dominated the world.

These successes were based on the concepts of mass production pioneered ...