Lean Manufacturing – also
known as the Toyota Production
System (TPS)
– is, in its most basic form,
the systematic elimination of
waste – overproduction,
waiting, transportation,
inventory, motion,
over-processing, defective units
– and the implementation of the
concepts of continuous flow and
customer pull.
Toyota perfected lean
manufacturing in the 1990s, and
now the concept is being put to
use in other areas, such as
organizational structures,
distribution and logistics.
Toyota's management philosophy
encompasses the entire
organization. Toyota
states: "...based on the concept
of continuous improvement, or
Kaizen, every Toyota team member
is empowered with the ability to
improve their work environment.
This includes everything from
quality and safety to the
environment and productivity.
Improvements and
suggestions by team members
are the cornerstone of Toyota's
success."
