People, Process, and Culture : Lean Manufacturing in the Real World

This book examines the global cultural influences on the understanding and application of Lean production systems within various geographic and cultural areas. It identifies the cultural values as examined against Lean manufacturing disciplines to derive culturally based Lean manufacturing values. The approach of people, process, and culture will help managers better understand the potential limitations and performance shortfalls that result from varying interpretations and applications of Lean systems. This approach will help readers demystify the sometimes complex characteristics of a Lean transformation.

Examining Lean processes in the context of the authors’ academic research in-progress, People, Process, & Culture: Lean Manufacturing in the Real World illustrates the impact of culture on the implementation of Lean Manufacturing (LM) across various geographic and cultural areas. It identifies cultural values, as examined against Lean manufacturing disciplines, and derives culturally based Lean Manufacturing (LM) values. It then assesses these cultural values in light of specific LM components, such as PULL systems and TPM, to demonstrate varying perspectives and applications.

• Illustrates global cultural influences on Lean implementation
• Uses academic research as the foundation of the material
• Examines the many Lean components currently in use around the world

Building on the continued prominence of LM as the preferred operational approach, the book supplies time-tested advice to help you sort through the flood of information on Lean techniques and culture. It examines the numerous Lean components currently being deployed successfully around the world and identifies the limitations that can result from the varying interpretations and applications of Lean systems.

Lean culture is all about Lean vision, mission, and values. This book not only identifies the Lean values required, but also supplies the understanding to integrate these values across all levels of your organization. The book will be especially helpful to international corporate managers working to demystify the sometimes hard-to-understand characteristics of Lean transformation.