Take a look below for some of our favorite recent lean articles from around the web. Do you have any favorites to share? Leave us a link in a comment!
1. Why Chinese Factories Fare Poorly in the U.S., by Jerry Rothfeder of The New Yorker
The answer? Because Chinese manufacturing is the polar opposite of lean! Take a look at this article, which discusses the differences between Chinese manufacturing and its Japanese counterpart, lean.
2. The Perils of Vertical Thinking, by Dan Markovitz of Markovitz Consulting (writing for IndustryWeek)
“…there’s nothing inherently wrong with an organization built around functional silos,” writes Dan Markovitz. “But that structure does have a real and significant consequence, because the siloed org chart profoundly shapes our thinking. It causes people to think more about what’s best for their department than about what’s best for their customer. Put another way, it makes people think ‘vertically’ instead of ‘horizontally.'” What dangers does vertical thinking pose to your organization? The answer in Dan’s article on IndustryWeek.
3. 3PLs and the Lean Warehouse, by Steve Banker of Forbes
A supply warehouse is a popular place to implement a lean transformation. But if you’re thinking of hiring a third-party logistics (3PL) provider to run your lean warehouse operations, use caution. You need to carefully pick a 3PL who truly and clearly has the capability to follow lean principles. Steve Banker shares some tips for going beneath the surface and evaluating potential 3PLs for the best fit.
