Some of the best insight into Lean Manufacturing is provided by the early pioneers of Industrial Engineering and Scientific Management. Jeff Maling of IBM has a real knack for uncovering some of these gems, like C.E. Knoeppels - Installing Efficiency Methods, where he describes the first pull system: in 1915.
I'm slowly building a list of these references in a Google library. All books are "full view" which typically means they are in the public domain.
If you think Lean is a Japanese culture thing---read these books and think again!
Bryan, thanks for the kind words. Its fun digging that stuff up.
ReplyDeleteDid you have a link to the book list? I may have some additions.
Most of the initial Scientific Management movement took place before 1922, which means that almost all of that material is public domain (nothing printed before 1922 is copyrighted). Finding it and reading it is the difficult part. There's a whole lean story to be told from all that old material...
Sorry Jeff, the initial link didn't come through. Should be o.k. now. If you email the additions I'll get them added.
ReplyDeleteBryan
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