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An excellent overview of the main concepts of lean manufacturing: finding waste, JIT, kanban, production leveling, flow, automation with a human touch, reduced set-up times, the "5 why", etc. Explanations are to the point and easy to understand.What makes this book unique is that the author was THE pioneer who brought most of these concepts to life. In the last chapters of the book he does a good job at putting his approach in perspective with earlier developments at Toyota, Ford, and GM.
This won't take the place of more how-to types of book on the subject, but it is good as historical context to understand where the tools came from. Really helpful as a way to cut through some of the current misinterpretations of the TPS.
JIT, Kanban, flow, SMED). The book is a first hand account of how Toyota Motor Company started after WW2 to become the leading manufacturer in the world. Through the book Taiichi Ohno highlight facts that will be contrary to the belief held by many western managers about the Toyota Production System (TPS): Toyota actually had severe labour resistance and strikes, the sole goal is to reduce costs by reducing labour (no lifetime contracts) and the burden of carrying inventory is not just shifted to suppliers.From the principle of reducing waste in manufacturing Taiichi Ohno goes on to explain how many of the methods and procedures arose that are now synonymos with TPS (e.g. People already familiar with these concepts will appreciate the explanation of how they started and complement each other.The book left an impression of Taiichi Ohno as a person deeply devoted to his country and countrymen, and that this is the source of his passion for manufacturing excellence. Although nationalistic he openly express his admiration for early American industry and include lengthy quotes from Henry Ford and Alfred Sloan, but he also highlight that TPS in many ways is the exact opposite of what Henry Ford's system of mass production has been turned into.Among business books this is definitely one of my favourites and the insights and wisdom of Taiichi Ohno goes far 'beyond large-scale production.'
Its size does not refect its depth. A book by the man who developed the system. This book is for the "doer". This and Workplace Management are a must have, for the person who wants to learn TPS. You won't find a recipe for TPS in this book. I've read it several times and refer to it often. It has become my learning companion
As others have mentioned, it gives the impression of having been written over many years during the author's spare time, and thus comes out a bit fragmented. It is not an exaggeration to say that in a low-growth period such waste is a crime against society more than a business loss. "Consider the waste of overproduction, for example. Obviously, the author is no Kawabata, but this does not detract from its value; in fact, I found the writing style to require more reflection from the reader, which for a book on a subject so alien to most western minds is a good thing.The book is fairly short, but you should take your sweet time reading it. Eliminating waste must be a business's first objective."These words may well have been written yesterday.As a young engineer still in school, I always thought most quality control systems, especially the more popular ones like 6 Sigma and lean manufacturing were incoherent mish-mashes of techniques obviously borrowed from more insightful people, sold without the philosophical foundation necessary for their correct interpretation and optimal application. Something akin to applying the letter of the law without understanding its spirit or, to use a more "japanese" metaphor, McDojos.Today, still a young engineer but now also a fairly experienced entrepreneur, I find this book to be a revelation. Even for people already familiar with many of the techniques developed for the Toyota prodution system and borrowed by others, such as just-in-time, it will give you a better understanding of their use and limitations. And it is definitely not, by any means, showing signs of aging: the ideas developed by Ohno and those people he worked with represent the perfect foundation for some of the most intensely studied business ideas of today, such as mass customization and new interpretations of corporate social responsability.A must read for entrepreneurs, definitely.
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