The principle behind LEAN is understanding customer value and continually working to increase it with less resources. LEAN provides a system for organising and managing product development, operations, suppliers and customer relations.
LEAN principles are derived from Toyota and provide a set of tools that assist in the steady elimination of waste. Some of these tools include:
Six Sigma or LEAN Six Sigma is a methodology which goes hand-in-hand with LEAN. It was developed by Motorola and seeks to indentify and reduce variability and thus improve overall quality.
It is important to note that LEAN can be applied to both manufacturing and services firms.
For manufacturing firms, the Enterprise Connect program can help you review your business and connect to consultants that specialise in LEAN.
IMPORTANT LEAN principles can be applied to both manufacturing and services firms.