LEAN Difficulties - Why a company doesn't want to do LEAN

[joshua_sx1]

...accordingly, LEAN is an optimal way of producing goods through the removal of waste and implementing flow, as opposed to batch and queue. Lean manufacturing is simply a generic process management philosophy...

Now, who don’t want that?

1. Management who do not totally engaged in manufacturing and found that LEAN is not really applicable (or very helpful) to the nature of their business…

2. Management who do not know what is LEAN and how it is going to help them to continually improve… moreover, to supposedly bring them more profit in one way or another… and keeps scratching their heads everytime you are discussing about LEAN…

3. Management who is about to retire or looking for another organization and does not really concern of what will happen on his present organization… and LEAN will only make him unfocused on his plan… (I’m referring here the Management as in singular form)…

4. Management who are aware of what LEAN can do for them but has limited resources… specifically budget for adopting the system…

…and probably there are more reasons… anyway, once you identified the real cause of why your company doesn’t want to do LEAN… then it’ll be easy for you to find solutions and/or alternatives…

 

[Richard.li]

How many companies we work for are ACTUALLY implenting lean and keep moving on? NOT just paper exercise or still traditional way with new terms.

How did you start? How did the managers accept? Any detail proposal example?

 

[palmer]

How many companies we work for are ACTUALLY implenting lean and keep moving on? NOT just paper exercise or still traditional way with new terms.

How did you start? How did the managers accept? Any detail proposal example?

I think there are a lot of companies that are going lean and keeping it going.

I was hired to implement it and I didn't have any training in it. I started looking and reading and trying. I asked questions of what the bosses wanted to see. I discussed with them what, why, and how. We are moving forward slowly and if something doesn't work we scrap it and try something else. We might even come back to something that didn't work before.

What I like is we are trying and they took me, who has 30 yrs of mfg experience, and said use my past experience to make us 5S and then go lean. So far so good.

 

[Richard.li]

I think there are a lot of companies that are going lean and keeping it going.

I was hired to implement it and I didn't have any training in it. I started looking and reading and trying. I asked questions of what the bosses wanted to see. I discussed with them what, why, and how. We are moving forward slowly and if something doesn't work we scrap it and try something else. We might even come back to something that didn't work before.

What I like is we are trying and they took me, who has 30 yrs of mfg experience, and said use my past experience to make us 5S and then go lean. So far so good.

Thanks for sharing.
I setup a lean cell in China more 10 years ago in a joint venture company. At that time the boss is a western worked in Japan for years. He brought it in. The management decision is first important. We didn't have the management problem. And we got training everything and we succeeded.
I knew LEAN does help. It seems hard to get accepted here. The introduction has to be convert to money way. It is frustrating. The production problems happen everyday and solution is there but nobody wants it. I am wondering how all the companies survive at a very high cost production. But obviousely there are some successful companies here. I just need the experience how to introduce.
I guess I should try the show-the-money way.

 

[funkj - 2008]

At one time I was heavily involved in a type of lean. My company called it APS, (Alcoa Production System) (can you guess the company?). It was basically a straight rip off of the Toyota Production System, they simply removed the T and replaced it with a T.

I agree that Lean has many great tools and can move a business forward, but it does have it's drawbacks. One of the biggest ones is that Lean/TPS requires lots of interpretation on how to implement things and how they should work. Many times the overall message gets lost in that fight and it becomes another management mess. Another item is that sometimes companies try to do to much to fast. The gains are lost and then the people become disinterested and it is again another management mess.

My suggestion for those struggling to get Lean moving is to take is slow and take baby steps. Present the ideas with out using the term "lean". Show how the concepts can work by doing them yourself.

My current company has no lean practices but I am trying to instill, (at least in my 4 person Quality department) lean ideas without telling them it is lean. Lean makes sense and that is generally why it works. Keep talking about the theories in your own words and take it slow. I think you will be surprised in how people will listen to what you have to say.

I think that many times when people here "lean" they think reduction of workforce and more work for myself. Those things can happen but if Lean is done properly and not over aggressively pursued the changes will be gradually and everyone will want to follow through with them because they see the good that can be done.

Again try to stay away from the term "lean" and just present the ideas and how you think they could work. Maybe start from the floor and work your way up. If you get enough people behind you then management would be forced to at least listen.

 

[Jen Kirley]

I guess I should try the show-the-money way.

Yes, you would probably find that helpful.

Western businesses tend to think in complex terms. The managers have all sorts of jargon about leveraging this or scaling that. It's critical to find out how they measure performance and figure out how you can show your efforts' impact on those performance measures. Then you can present your point, and take a step back because the egos can present quite a force to be reckoned with. Some people like to think of improvements on their own, or let their timing rule the day. You can allow that to happen and still have influence; you would just need patience and learn to recognize opportunity when you see it. I hope this makes sense.

 

[palmer]

Jennifer,

That's what I've been trying to convey but much less eloquently...thanks