<div dir="ltr">I agree that Lean principles are most naturally applied to production type environments. But a good "Lean thinker" can apply tools such as the Five S's and the Seven Wastes to pretty much anything, including non-repetitive administrative tasks.<div><br></div><div>SO</div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Mon, Dec 2, 2019 at 7:42 AM Mark Johnson <<a href="mailto:markjohnson100@centurylink.net">markjohnson100@centurylink.net</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
<div bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
<p>I should be more fair...the application of Lean did not cause the
financial difficulties - those are endemic to the company and have
been for a couple of decades - but the organization has not, in my
view, benefited significantly from their use. There is still (I
left their employ about 15 months ago) a severe tendency toward
administrative bloat and decision-making that takes place at
entirely too high a level. The local site manager here doesn't
even have the authority to close the office when the weather is
impossible (e.g., a 12-15 inch snow, which happened twice while I
worked there). <br>
</p>
<p>Personally, I found the Lean principles to be viable but the
company is one of those "Lean in Name Only" users. I do question
the use of Lean in the delivery of IT services because they aren't
a production line. Each customer's services are unique in many
ways, and it seems really difficult to create a standard service
catalog. <br>
</p>
<p>Mark J<br>
</p>
<div>On 12/1/2019 9:05 AM, Stephen Offiler
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div dir="ltr">
<div dir="ltr">Hold on a second there Mark. Since I've already
stated my position as a proponent of Lean/TPS, I should
probably play devil's advocate here. You imply the
application of TPS has caused financial difficulties. I
suspect the reality is the financial difficulties came first,
TPS was perhaps one of many tools employed to turn the
barge around, and we have no way of knowing whether the
decline might have been even worse had they not tried TPS.</div>
<div dir="ltr"><br>
</div>
<div>SO</div>
<br>
<div class="gmail_quote">
<div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Sun, Dec 1, 2019 at 8:30
AM Mark Johnson <<a href="mailto:markjohnson100@centurylink.net" target="_blank">markjohnson100@centurylink.net</a>>
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
<div bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
<p>A former employer (3-letter IT company with a 100+ year
history, otherwise to remain nameless) has been trying
to apply TPS to information technology services. Its
NYSE stock price should tell you how successful they
have been...</p>
<p>Mark J</p>
<p>Columbia, MO<br>
</p>
<div>On 11/30/2019 7:27 AM, Stephen Offiler wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div dir="ltr">Absolutely. The Toyota Production System
(TPS) is studied around the world and applied in every
imaginable industry as "Lean Manufacturing" and in
service industries like hospitals as simply "Lean".
<div><br>
</div>
<div>I have a couple decades of experience with Lean
Mfg. and I would count myself as a proponent
although I've also seen some of the Achilles'
Heels. It is a very collaborative system at its
core, and won't work well unless the entire
workforce is engaged. In short what I'm saying is
that I cannot imagine a UAW shop embracing Lean.</div>
</div>
<br>
<div class="gmail_quote">
<div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Sat, Nov 30, 2019
at 7:42 AM James Peck <<a href="mailto:jamesgpeck@hotmail.com" target="_blank">jamesgpeck@hotmail.com</a>>
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">Toyota does a
really good job at controlling the manufacturing
process. Not so good at the attractive design
process. Toyota refused an offer to take GM for
free in the 2008 GM bankruptcy. That was an
extremely wise decision. Everything necessary to
make GM work well would have been politically
unpopular.<br>
<br>
Remember, Toyota can manufacture cars and trucks in
the US using Americans and make money. There may be
more.<br>
<br>
Steve Offiler AT List member Mechanical Engineer (<a href="mailto:soffiler@gmail.com" target="_blank">soffiler@gmail.com</a>); So
which automotive companies in your estimation are
not run by cabbage heads?<br>
<br>
James AT List Member (<a href="mailto:jamesgpeck@hotmail.com" target="_blank">jamesgpeck@hotmail.com</a>);
They have cabbage heads running Ford as well. The
recent Ranger is far less attractive than the one
that preceded it.<br>
<br>
Steve Offiler AT List member Mechanical Engineer (<a href="mailto:soffiler@gmail.com" target="_blank">soffiler@gmail.com</a>);
<snip> I've paid so little attention to the
return of the Ranger that I barely could tell you it
exists. <snip><br>
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