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Abstract
Manufacturing sectors and companies worldwide are successfully implementing lean principles within their processes. Nowadays, lean has become an indispensable part of global players. Recently, lean manufacturing have moved passed the automotive industry and conquered almost all suitable industries worldwide Insurance companies, hospitals, even governmental organizations continuously improve their processes using lean principles. Nevertheless, there was a time when the implementation of lean principles within companies and their processes was not a necessary and/or competitive advantage. Where did the trend to a lean manufacturing world start and how was it passed through generations and nations? Who played a role in developing the set of tools offered today by lean principles and where are the origins of this manufacturing change? This paper addresses all of these questions and settles the roots of lean management. Moreover, it focuses on giving a brief and structured overview over the fundamental points and key players of the lean history and evolution.
KEYWORDS
Lean, Toyota, manufacturing, Ford, management.
1. Introduction
Lean manufacturing, lean production or often simply Lean, is a production practice that considers the expenditure of resources for any goal other than the creation of value to be wasteful and thus a target for elimination. From the perspective of the customer "value" is defined as the price for which the customer would be willing to pay for. The lean concept is not a new one, originating from the end of 19to century and the beginning of the 20th century, with the development of the production systems by Henry Ford and other producers. A brief overview over the evolution of lean management over the years is offered by (Figure no. 1). Key contributors to the evolution of the lean concept such as Eli Whitney, Taylor, Gilbreth, Henry Ford, Shinga and Ohno will be mentioned and discussed in the following chapters.
2. The Roots of Lean
Starting with the 1980s, many models of business have been developed to teach and show managers how to run their business. Many of these models have been conceptually sound, nevertheless just few offered a sustainable and solid basis for implementation. For many years before, managers, consultants and academics have struggled with the thought of how to change, improve or replace existing business operations and...