The term lean operations common refer to a family of terms that are typically associated with quality assurance, JIT, reduced waste, process-focused operations that are very efficient and cost sensitive. Lean operations can refer to processes that are found in both service and manufacturing environments. Basically, lean operations are best business practices that minimize time of task, inventories on hand, supplies, and work-related instructions and steps in order to create desirable products and/or services that satisfy or exceed customer’s expectations and producers’ profitability goals. The basic philosophies of lean are grounded in the need to reduce human involvement in very standardized processes that result in reduced opportunities for waste to occur. It is assumed that analytical datasets are used to monitor processes and gather as complete and accurate information from the point-of sale to design-for-manufacturing and ultimate delivery to consumers without significant flaws and waste. The tools associated with lean operations includes six-sigma business practices to ensure adherence to stated goals to provide ensured companies become efficient in all value-added processes. Lean has become almost interchangeable waste reduction, value-added, and sustainability as management tries to identity opportunities to reduce waste, energy consumption, and variations from original design specifications in order to increase efficiency and profitability via changing practices.
Published in Chapter:
Process Improvements in Supply Chain Operations: Multi-Firm Case Studies
Alan D. Smith (Robert Morris University, USA)
Copyright: © 2015
|Pages: 24
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-4666-7272-7.ch016
Abstract
The nature of SCM research is constantly evolving and must address a variety of concerns like poor service, large inventory levels, and friction among suppliers and manufacturers. Analytical databases and techniques in SCM are an important part of this research. Many researchers and practitioners have depended on secondary data, but given the dynamic nature of global competition, more recent and relevant data must be gathered. These efforts need to be geared to the development of properly managed supply chain relationships and corporate sustainability initiatives that ultimately promote broad-based sustainable development objectives for the good of people, plants, and profits (i.e., triple bottom-line).