LEAN was never introduced to save money....in fact it has cost money. Lean is a set of tools and techniques designed to reduce and eliminate waste or non value added activity in any given process. The Lean Methodology as it is better known, can be applied in the Manufacturing Sector, just as easily and effectively through other not so well publicised areas including the Public Sector, namely the Government and Local Council, the NHS and the Private Sector, Banks other Financial Institutions and larger Corporate Organisations such as the Armed Forces.
The Lean tools and techniques were developed by the Toyota Motor Corporation in post war Japan. Following WWII, Japan was a battered and beleaguered country, already lacking in natural resources, the war also resulted in them having less money, less people and materials. Coping with such limitations created an initial foundation for Lean through the economic hardships at that time - to do more with less. A philosophy which is still the bedrock of Lean.
But what makes Lean so attractive and how has it managed to survive where others have failed?
The answers are simple:
· The Lean Methodology, its tools and techniques are simple and easy to understand and to implement.
· They are applicable in any industry type, from Manufacturing to Public and Private Sectors.
· They harness and empower the energy of everyone in an organisation, never isolating or working with va select few.
· It helps create a positive culture for continuous improvement, by allowing employees to take charge of vtheir own work and subsequent areas, whilst also improving employee morale.
· It actively identifies and then removes waste with varied tools and techniques.
· It helps ensure best practise and reduces variation in processes by standardisation.
· It is a cheap methodology to implement, whereby new systems or software will not be required at a vgreat expense to an organisation.
· Most importantly, Lean works! A few simple changes in one area with the implementation of Lean tools vand techniques can almost instantly start illustrating the benefits that Lean can offer.
Taxi for 1 ........