Better Thinking, Better Results
The best book ever written on Lean transformation.
Better Thinking, Better Results chronicles Art Byrne’s leadership of The Wiremold Company’s enterprise-wide Lean transformation. This Shingo prize-winning classic answers the question: “How do you conduct a Lean transformation?” It is a detailed case study and analysis of the senior management team’s effort to transform Wiremold from 1991-2001, notable for the integration of both the “Continuous Improvement” and “Respect for People” principles, as well as the critically important role of kaizen in quickly producing change while simultaneously developing employees’ skills and capabilities.
This book is an authoritative and practical Lean implementation manual that will help guide senior managers on their journey. You will learn how the management team applied Lean principles and practices to human resources, finance, sales, marketing, engineering, operations, acquisitions process, as well as upstream with suppliers and downstream with intermediate and end-use customers. The leadership lessons are invaluable for anyone involved with making the Lean management system come alive in their company. You will be amazed at the financial and non-financial results that they achieved.
First published in 2003, the second edition brings the story up-to-date with a new chapter that describes what happened to Wiremold’s Lean management efforts since 2001. You will learn vital lessons about the challenge of maintaining continuity in Lean management practice over the long term. There is no other book like this one. And don’t forget the companion books Kaizen Forever: Teachings of Chihiro Nakao and Shingijutsu-Kaizen: The Art of Discovery and Learning, and the workbook Practical Lean Leadership: A Strategic Leadership Guide for Executives.
Reviews of Better Thinking, Better Results
Everything you need to know about a Lean transformation is explained between these covers, with helpful summaries of all the key lessons for you to apply immediately to your own business.
James Womack, Founder of the Lean Enterprise Institute and co-author of Lean Thinking
Wiremold is one of the great pioneering examples that showed us all that Lean Thinking could be done outside Toyota… This book tells a very important story in the history of Lean.
Daniel Jones, Founder, Lean Enterprise Academy, and co-author of Lean Thinking
The book reflects a great depth of understanding of Lean thinking and of the detailed transformation of The Wiremold Company. This is one of the important books that anybody interested in Lean thinking needs to read… they did everything almost as good as you can do it.
Jeffrey Liker, author of The Toyota Way
This book goes way beyond the tools & methods of Lean manufacturing to the practical implementation of Lean management… this as a “must read” for any management team serious about Lean transformation.
Brian Maskell, President, BMA Inc., and co-author of Practical Lean Accounting
This thought provoking book captures the essence of a ‘Real Lean’ transformation and how senior management commitment and involvement are essential in transforming a batch-and-queue business to a Lean enterprise.
Mark DeLuzio, former Corporate Vice President, Danaher Corporation
This is the best overall book on Lean management since Lean Thinking. An excellent methodical description and analysis of the Wiremold Lean journey, demonstrating the tools and leadership required to execute a Lean transformation.
Kevin Meyer, President, LeanCEO.com
More Information
Click here to read the backstory about this award-winning book. Click here to watch a webinar about Wiremold’s Lean transformation, led by Art Byrne. Click here to learn the important research questions this book has answered.
Book Details
Better Thinking, Better Results: Case Study and Analysis of an Enterprise-Wide Lean Transformation
by Bob Emiliani
with David Stec, Lawrence Grasso, and James Stodder
The CLBM, LLC Wethersfield, Conn., USA
336 pages • ISBN 978-0-9722591-2-5 • Second Edition • March 2007
Contains 20 Tables, 39 Figures, 10 Exhibits, and “Key Points for Senior Managers” and Endnotes in each chapter.
Table of Contents
Foreword by Bill Moffitt
Preface to the Second Edition
Preface to the First Edition
Introduction
1 The Need for Change
2 Wiremold’s New Strategy
3 The First Priority: Kaizen
4 Transforming the Factory
5 Lean is a People System
6 Growth Through New Products
7 Growth Through Acquisitions
8 Delivering the Benefits of Lean to Customers
9 Performance Measurement
10 Wiremold’s Results
11 Real Lean vs. Fake Lean
Postscript – Solving the Liquidity Problem
Afterword
Update to the Second Edition
Wiremold Management Team
Recommended Reading
Index
About the Authors
