Book•
Toyota Production System : Beyond Large-Scale Production
01 Mar 1988-
TL;DR: In this paper, Taiichi Ohno shares the genius that sets him apart as one of the most disciplined and creative thinkers of our time, and combines his candid insights with a rigorous analysis of Toyota's attempts at Lean production.
Abstract: In this classic text, Taiichi Ohno--inventor of the Toyota Production System and Lean manufacturing--shares the genius that sets him apart as one of the most disciplined and creative thinkers of our time. Combining his candid insights with a rigorous analysis of Toyota's attempts at Lean production, Ohno's book explains how Lean principles can improve any production endeavor. A historical and philosophical description of just-in-time and Lean manufacturing, this work is a must read for all students of human progress. On a more practical level, it continues to provide inspiration and instruction for those seeking to improve efficiency through the elimination of waste.
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TL;DR: A systematic review of empirical studies of agile software development up to and including 2005 was conducted and provides a map of findings, according to topic, that can be compared for relevance to their own settings and situations.
Abstract: Agile software development represents a major departure from traditional, plan-based approaches to software engineering. A systematic review of empirical studies of agile software development up to and including 2005 was conducted. The search strategy identified 1996 studies, of which 36 were identified as empirical studies. The studies were grouped into four themes: introduction and adoption, human and social factors, perceptions on agile methods, and comparative studies. The review investigates what is currently known about the benefits and limitations of, and the strength of evidence for, agile methods. Implications for research and practice are presented. The main implication for research is a need for more and better empirical studies of agile software development within a common research agenda. For the industrial readership, the review provides a map of findings, according to topic, that can be compared for relevance to their own settings and situations.
2,399 citations
TL;DR: This research attempts to clarify the semantic confusion surrounding lean production by conducting an extensive literature review using a historical evolutionary perspective in tracing its main components, and identifies a key set of measurement items.
2,069 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a distinction is drawn between the philosophies of "leanness" and "agility" and the appropriate application of these ideas is discussed, and the key to survival in these changed conditions is through ''agility'' in particular by the creation of responsive supply chains.
1,736 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors provide a framework for understanding the evolution of lean not only as a concept, but also its implementation within an organization, and point out areas for future research.
Abstract: The application of lean thinking has made a significant impact both in academic and industrial circles over the last decade. Fostered by a rapid spread into many other industry sectors beyond the automotive industry, there has been a significant development and “localisation” of the lean concept. Despite successful “lean” applications in a range of settings however, the lean approach has been criticised on many accounts, such as the lack of human integration or its limited applicability outside high‐volume repetitive manufacturing environments. The resulting lack of definition has led to confusion and fuzzy boundaries with other management concepts. Summarising the lean evolution, this paper comments on approaches that have sought to address some of the earlier gaps in lean thinking. Linking the evolution of lean thinking to the contingency and learning organisation schools of thought, the objective of this paper is to provide a framework for understanding the evolution of lean not only as a concept, but also its implementation within an organisation, and point out areas for future research.
1,692 citations
Cites background from "Toyota Production System : Beyond L..."
...In particular, the early work of Toyota has been highlighted (Shingo, 1981, 1988; Monden, 1983; Ohno, 1988)....
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TL;DR: The authors analyzed an auto assembly plant that appears to be far above average industry performance in both efficiency and flexibility, and found that NUMMI used four mechanisms to support its exceptional flexibility/efficiency combination.
Abstract: This article seeks to reconceptualize the relationship between flexibility and efficiency. Much organization theory argues that efficiency requires bureaucracy, that bureaucracy impedes flexibility, and that organizations therefore confront a tradeoff between efficiency and flexibility. Some researchers have challenged this line of reasoning, arguing that organizations can shift the efficiency/flexibility tradeoff to attain both superior efficiency and superior flexibility. Others have pointed out numerous obstacles to successfully shifting the tradeoff. Seeking to advance our understanding of these obstacles and how they might be overcome, we analyze an auto assembly plant that appears to be far above average industry performance in both efficiency and flexibility. NUMMI, a Toyota subsidiary located in Fremont, California, relied on a highly bureaucratic organization to achieve its high efficiency. Analyzing two recent major model changes, we find that NUMMI used four mechanisms to support its exceptional flexibility/efficiency combination. First, metaroutines (routines for changing other routines) facilitated the efficient performance of nonroutine tasks. Second, both workers and suppliers contributed to nonroutine tasks while they worked in routine production. Third, routine and nonroutine tasks were separated temporally, and workers switched sequentially between them. Finally, novel forms of organizational partitioning enabled differentiated subunits to work in parallel on routine and nonroutine tasks. NUMMI's success with these four mechanisms depended on several features of the broader organizational context, most notably training, trust, and leadership.
1,396 citations