Operations strategy and lean production
Introduced| English | Meaning |
|---|---|
| waste/weɪst/ | The unnecessary or inefficient use of resources, time or effort. |
| lean production/liːn prəˈdʌkʃn/ | An approach to production that reduces waste while maintaining value for the customer. |
| just-in-time/dʒʌst ɪn taɪm/ | A production and inventory approach in which supplies arrive close to when they are needed, reducing stock held. |
| kaizen/ˈkaɪzn/ | kaizen |
| continuous improvement/kənˈtɪnjuːəs ɪmˈpruːvmənt/ | continuous improvement |
| cell production/sel prəˈdʌkʃn/ | cell production |
| suppliers/səˈplaɪəz/ | Businesses or people that provide goods, materials or services to another organisation. |
Doing more with less
- Every scrap of wasted 浪费 material, time or effort is money a business throws away.
- Lean production 精益生产 is a relentless war on waste, pioneered in Japanese manufacturing.
SWOT strategy lab
Sort strategy evidence into internal and external factors.
Lean production aims mainly to:
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Lean is a war on waste of all kinds.
The idea of lean
- Lean production aims to cut all forms of waste while keeping quality high.
- Waste includes excess stock, waiting time, defects, over-production and unnecessary movement.
Factory automation: A-Level operations covers lean production, technology and the supply chain
Kaizen means:
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Kaizen is continuous, incremental improvement.
Just-in-time production reduces waste by:
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JIT minimises stock held, cutting storage waste.
The Japanese term for continuous improvement through small changes is ______.
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Kaizen drives steady, ongoing gains.
Key lean techniques
- Just-in-time 准时制 (JIT): stock arrives only as needed, slashing storage waste.
- Kaizen 持续改善: continuous improvement 持续改进 through many small changes, suggested by workers.
- Cell production 单元生产 and time-based management speed up flow.
Worked example. A factory adopts kaizen: each week, line workers suggest tiny improvements. None is dramatic alone, but together they steadily cut waste and lift productivity — improvement that never stops.
Lean production needs engaged staff and reliable suppliers to work well.
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Without the right culture and supply, lean techniques underdeliver.
Benefits and demands
- Benefits: lower costs, less waste, higher quality, faster delivery.
- Demands: reliable suppliers 供应商, well-trained, engaged staff, and a supportive culture.
Lean is a culture, not a one-off project. JIT and kaizen only work if staff are engaged and suppliers reliable. Bolting on a technique without the culture rarely delivers the gains.
You've got it
- lean production cuts every form of waste while keeping quality high
- key techniques: JIT, kaizen (continuous small improvements), cell production
- lean needs reliable suppliers and engaged staff — it is a culture, not a quick fix