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Editorial: Lean vs Agile - Lean manufacturing Article
The article entitled: "Editorial: Lean vs Agile" is in the Lean manufacturing Articles section of Operations Management Papers area...
ARTICLE DESCRIPTION: For some years now, all of us have been expected to both think Lean and be Lean in our approach to manufacturing efficiency. But, now in addition we are also being encouraged to become more agile.
MORE INFO: Editorial: Lean vs Agile For some years now, all of us have been expected to both think Lean and be Lean in our approach to manufacturing efficiency. But, now in addition we are also being encouraged to become more agile. Lean and Agile - this brings to mind an image of UK business dressed in a tracksuit and emerging, covered in sweat after a hard session in the gym. Maybe, this is just how it should be if we are to make our industry a more competitive player in the world market. The Lean movement has very much focussed on internal issues with the objective being the removal of all aspects of waste within the business -this is industry's diet -just like Jack Spratt, removing the fat and slimming down. But as with any slimming plan we need to consider other health and fitness issues. In the case of businesses, we need to question whether we effectively service the needs of our customers. These customers, who are often following similar paths to efficiency, are in turn placing ever increasing demands upon us as they also slim down. Therefore, the necessity to improve customer service, in order to survive the enormous constraints and pressure, has driven the move towards Agility. In the early days of its conceptual development there was much debate as to which of the two was the more appropriate approach, Lean or Agile. This was even demonstrated by the title of the Institute's seminar earlier this year,Lean vs. Agile . Is it really a conflict between the two as this would perhaps indicate?or, is it that these two approaches are truly compatible and are in fact the major constituents of the fitness regime needed to make UK industry truly competitive. By combining the two into what has been termed 'Leagility', we have the opportunity to develop from the Efficient Lean organisation into the Effective Lean and Agile organisation. The challenge that now faces us is to further develop the effective tools and measures that allow us to take full advantage of this new approach . If, after reading the articles on this subject in this month's edition of Control you are interested in the concept of the Lean/Agile organisation and would like to become involved in the development of a Special Interest Group within the IOMto explore the concept and gain from shared learning and experience, and have not already registered your interest, please do so by contacting Chris Tyler at IOM HQ (e-mail: ChrisT@iomnet.org.uk).
PUBLISHER: Institute of Operations Management
Page number: 5 Word count: 300
Vol 28 - No 09 - November 2002
The article can be downloaded in full from the publisher's site i.e. the Institute of Operations Management.
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