16. Lessons Learnt

Lean manufacturing is part of a business-wide strategy aimed to increase market share whilst at the same time attempting to minimise operating costs. In the face of ever increasing global competition, businesses are driven to improve flexibility, sharpen market responsiveness, improve output, and, simultaneously, reduce overall costs. Lean manufacturing is one of the key, but not only, means by which this is being achieved. Applying Lean into process or hybrid manufacturing industries can pose difficulties. Most companies are struggling with rapidly declining product life cycles and the need for many new product introductions. The need to get fast cycle products to market can often trump the perceived need to operate on Lean principles. Those organisations applying Lean appropriately will be able to maximise output, whilst eliminating unnecessary expenses. This chapter proceeds to summarise the prominent aspects covered in the book and draws suitable conclusions which would aid organisation and Lean proponents grasp a better understanding of Lean and its associations with both overall business efficiency and strategy formulation.