Waste doesn't just refer to pollution – in a Kaizen culture, it refers to redundant and zero-value practices and procedures. When you hear the word “waste,” what do you think of? Many businesses – ranging from the largest of corporations to the smallest of startups – envisage pollution, especially in light of the increasingly stricter
Continue reading »Leadership is just as important in a Kaizen organization, and many of the necessary traits actually carry over from traditional managerial positions. Leaders have traditionally played an important role in any company – they are the people making important decisions and directing others. In a Lean organization, however, leaders take on a slightly different role.
Continue reading »Corporate heads have developed a reputation of being all about the bottom line – in the movies, these are the people who would dump waste into the ocean to make more money. The reality is often far from these Hollywood stereotypes, but there is often a small element of truth in there. The idea that
Continue reading »For many hospitals and other healthcare organizations, making the switch to Lean management can be a daunting task. Lean healthcare requires a radically different mindset than the philosophies that many medical clinics currently hold as being best practices. That said, there are often several parallels between Lean healthcare and existing operational practices. By observing these
Continue reading »“Employee empowerment” is a broad term that can be used to describe the ways in which organizations foster a culture of ownership and accountability among workers. Empowered employees have input into their specific job responsibilities, as well as how the companies they work for are run as a whole, which facilitates continuous improvement. “Empowered employees
Continue reading »Undergoing a Kaizen transformation is just as much about the mindset as it is about the actual practices. While striving to eliminate waste and minimize redundant procedures is an important part of a Lean transformation, it's just as vital that businesses understand why they are implementing these procedures to truly ensure they are taking advantage
Continue reading »Lean manufacturing has taken hold throughout the United States, with a greater number of companies trying to accomplish more while spending less. However, the methodology has extended beyond manufacturing companies, and can now be seen in use in a variety of ways. Website optimization is one of the potential uses of Lean. Every company has
Continue reading »There are a lot of reasons to take a trip to Japan – the exotic Asian culture, the radical extremes of the local flora and fauna, the various festivals, etc. If you're a business professional, you could even learn how to run your company more effectively and bolster productivity by taking a Lean Tour to
Continue reading »The healthcare industry has been growing explosively by every metric over the past few years. Data released by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics suggests the sector is currently the fastest growing category in the country, adding as many as 19,000 jobs per month to the national economy. But despite that growth, the industry
Continue reading »The American manufacturing industry has been slowly growing over the past few years. While it recently contracted in June, according to the Institute for Supply Management's Manufacturing Business Survey, this was the first occurrence of activity decline since July 2009. Even then, seven of the 18 manufacturing industries observed still grew. This changes how manufacturers
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