Political economist David Ricardo (1772-1823) coined the term "comparative advantage." From that came the economic law of comparative advantage, and the intellectual foundation for international free trade. More familiar terms these days are "global sourcing" or "global supply chains," which means … [Read more...] about Is Lean Toast?
Management IQ
Anyone who has studied the history of management practice since the late 1800s eventually comes to realize that despite all the effort to advance the practice of management, surprisingly little has come of it. Even if you have no knowledge of the history of management but have worked in … [Read more...] about Management IQ
Wanting to Know, Preferring to Ignore
Those of us who are fans of Toyota's management system (TMS) and Lean management (LM) are a curious bunch. We want to learn as much as we can as fast as possible. We want to know the details of TMS and LM and how to make them work in ways that fulfill our understanding and our expectations. We are … [Read more...] about Wanting to Know, Preferring to Ignore
The Yin and Yang of Management
Sometimes people ask me: "Do you assign books that you have written to students taking courses you teach?" The answer is no, until this past Fall semester. For the last several years the assigned reading for my graduate Lean Leadership course was The Lean Turnaround by Art Byrne and The Toyota … [Read more...] about The Yin and Yang of Management
Creating a Lean Culture
Everyone recognizes that creating a Lean culture is the responsibility of the top leaders of an organization, and that creating a Lean culture is difficult. Much has been written by me and others about the need for business leaders to do this hard work if they wish to succeed with Lean management. … [Read more...] about Creating a Lean Culture
We Succeed When We All Agree
In my decades of analyzing Lean management and the Lean movement, I often discover important problems and, being a university professor, I share my findings with others. My findings are more warmly received by Lean practitioners than my peer group of Lean movement leaders. Why is that? It seems … [Read more...] about We Succeed When We All Agree
Understanding the Institution of Leadership
When organizations struggle or fail to produce a Lean transformation (the "effect"), the causes commonly cited include: Lack of management support Leaders not personally engaged Fear of change or failure Poor communication No sense of urgency No training or poor training Middle … [Read more...] about Understanding the Institution of Leadership
Radicals Among Conservators
If you are a devoted Lean thinker and practitioner, you are a radical. You may not feel like one, but you are. Your desire is to turn business processes upside down, and in doing so turn people's thinking and the corporate culture upside down. You wish to turn things upside down from the bottom up. … [Read more...] about Radicals Among Conservators
Lean Fighting Blind
There are people in the Lean community who have enormous credibility when it comes to assessing the state of Lean management in corporations and other organizations. They include Mark DeLuzio, Art Byrne, Jean Cunningham, Jim Womack, Dan, Jones, Jeff Liker, and various others. Taken together, these … [Read more...] about Lean Fighting Blind