Lean Manufacturing Principles form the underpinning roadmap of Lean. No plan can be achieved without a roadmap: a plan of action, which supports clear guidelines and principles – and when incorporating lean, the same applies. Lean Manufacturing Principles are derived from the Toyota Production System (TPS) and follow five concepts. Understand value in the eyes…
Lean Manufacturing Principles
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Lean Kaizen: The Japanese Strategy of Continuous Improvement
Lean Kaizen is a term for a continuous improvement philosophy in Lean. The common name is referred to as a Kaizen and is a Japanese word which literally means Change (Kai) for the better (Zen). It is based on a philosophy of continuous improvement within processes in Businesses across all sectors and industries and involves…
Lean Flow: Increase your profits and Competitive Advantage
Lean Flow is about how items or people we are dealing with in a process move from the first step to the last. Obviously, the intention in Lean flow is to move the item or product through the process as quick as possible, without any risk to quality and customer satisfaction. In fact, flow is…
The 7 Wastes: what are they and how can you spot them in your Business?
Understanding the 7 wastes allows you to be able to identify process waste, whether it be in a Manufacturing or Service business. If you can see it, you can eliminate it and therefore increase your efficiency, productivity and profit levels. I think this is one of the most important aspects of Lean manufacturing. If you…
Lean Manufacturing Definition
The Standard definitions There are a number of standard Lean Manufacturing Definitions…….. “Lean is a Business philosophy that continuously shortens the time between customer order and shipment by eliminating anything that increases the cost of production and time of delivery to customers.” – Eaton Corporation “Lean Manufacturing is an operational strategy oriented toward achieving the…
Lean Manufacturing: Improve your Profit Margins Through Productivity Improvement
Lean Manufacturing is a strategy that seeks to provide maximum throughput with as little inventory and resource as possible. It focuses on learning to see waste in every part of the operation or Value Stream, and then seeks to eliminate that waste. The net result of Lean is to provide the customer with: What the…
The psychological Contract: Linking Organisational Change to the Individual
The psychological contract acts as a good concept for those considering implementation and leading change. As opposed to the tangible written employment contract which lists formal expectations, payment, working hours and other role specific requirements, the psychological contract is a non tangible, informal agreement between the employee and employer, which almost works at the subconscious…
Using Herzberg Motivation Theory to Nurture the Ideal Working Conditions for Motivation
Herzberg motivation theory attempts to answer the age old question of what do people get motivated by? What do they want in their jobs and how to improve the conditions for people to flourish? Do employees want good working relationships, a better salary, better job prospects, status, or something else altogether? Frederick Herzberg Frederick Herzberg…
Using Maslow Hierarchy of Needs Model to Identify What Motivates Your Team Members
Maslow Hierarchy of Needs was developed by Abraham Maslow, a renowned psychologist in the 1940’s. He formed the theory in 1943, which shed light for millions of managers and students to human psychology on how people are motivated and also, just as importantly, why some struggle with motivation, while others excel in certain conditions and…
How to Use Motivation Theories to Help Improve Team Performance
Many different motivation theories have been created and dissected over the past century in an attempt to understand human behaviour and answer the question: “what creates the force needed to do things we want to do?” Wikipedia defines motivation as, “The general desire or willingness of someone to do something.” Motivation is a need within…