Respect for People and Creation of Lean Community Paper Example

Introduction

With the modern globalization and the changes in the business world, operational performance is a key component for sustaining and growing an organization. Over the years, lean manufacturing has brought about significant changes in the management practices of an organization to enhance and improve customer satisfaction and organizational efficiency (Ahmad 2013; 334). Organizations are now more concerned about customer satisfaction because of the variety of options customers can choose from that offer quality products at affordable prices. The basic concept of lean manufacturing is to maximize the customer's value and satisfaction with the least production of waste (Alefari et al. 2017; 756). Therefore, the main purpose of a lean system is to increase productivity and improve on product quality while reducing the manufacturing time and inventory with the aim of eliminating waste (Ahmad 2013; 334).

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The lean system represents more than just the way an organization chain supply operates but incorporates other processes of the organization too. For instance, it encompasses the leadership traits of the people in a position such as managers, their relationship with their employees and how the employees carry out their daily work. To this extent, the term lean is used in the daily business practices, and these include lean services, lean software development, lean entrepreneurship, lean accounting, lean product development just to mention a few (Alefari et al. 2017; 756). The lean manufacturing concept was initially introduced to enhance the floor efficiency of an organization within the just-in-time (JIT) system or the commonly known Toyota Production System (TPS) (Nordin et al. 2012; 103). The concept was then developed to focus on the reduction of waste and increasing customer's value, and this enabled the Toyota Company to be one of the best organizations in the world.

Achieving Lean Manufacturing

Lean manufacturing focuses on the reduction of waste products and at the same time maintaining the product quality for customer satisfaction. Waste is always in the form of overproduction of products, waiting, inventory, transportation, over-processing, and defective products just to mention a few (Nordin et al. 2012; 103). This is illustrated by the diagram below.

Types of waste

Despite the broad consensus of lean implementation, many companies still struggle to implement lean manufacturing, and a number of critical success factors (CFS) are used to determine the effectiveness of lean system (Netland 2016; 2433). Lean manufacturing system integrates and encompasses concepts of Just-in-Time production (JIT), Total Productive Maintenenace (TPM) Total Quality Management (TQM), Six Sigma, Human Resource Management (HRM) practices among others to achieve its goal of waste (Netland 2016; 2433). Reduction of waste in the lean system is achieved through the implementation of lean elements (Sundar et al. 2014; 1875). These elements include scheduling, employee perceptions, value stream mapping, and group technology among others (Sundar et al. 2014; 1875). Toyota being the pioneer of lean system uses a number of ways such as reduced set up times, employee involvement and empowerment, quality at the source, small lot production, equipment maintenance, supplier involvement and pull production to achieve lean manufacturing. The lean system is aimed at improving the quality of products with minimal or zero waste production to sustain an organization's growth and improvement.

Benefits of Lean Manufacturing

The lean system does not entail the changes made in the manufacturing sector only but involves a complete change in the structure and management of the business, how directors direct, management of the managers and the daily routine of employees (Melton 2005; 662). Lean thinking enables us to understand the concepts of identification of value, reduction or elimination of waste and the customer's value (Melton 2005; 663). This philosophy was not only applicable to the non-process industries such as automotive industries, but it cuts across all sectors including the processing industries. Some of the benefits of lean include reduced inventory, financial savings, less rework, reduced lead time, less process waste just to mention a few as is illustrated by the diagram below (Melton 2005; 663).

Benefits of Lean

Lean saves on the cost of production thereby avoiding unnecessary capital that would be used on production. Due to its robust processes, it ensures production of the best quality products that provide for customer's value and satisfaction (Melton 2005; 664). The lean system also incorporates the skills of empowered employees with multi-skilled technics as it provides for a vast knowledge through the understanding of the chain supply processes of manufacturing combined with the other processes within the value system (Melton 2005; 664). Incorporation of a lean system focuses on the supply chain which is the foundation block of many organizations.

How Respect for People is linked to Lean Manufacturing

It is established that lean manufacturing can change the whole structure and culture of an organization by saving money and improving on the processes, but ideally it should give people more power and control over their work (Bangert 2016; 36). The nugget of lean changes the culture of an organization in that many companies get hung up on cost saving activities and forget the aspect of respect for people. Respect for people is one of the concepts that is incorporated with lean to help in the elimination of excess waste such as over production and over processing (Cardon and Bribiescas 2015; 46). The best way to exercise respect for people between the managers and the employees is by spending time together (Bangert 2016; 36). This will enhance the relationship between the employees and those in a leadership position to provide an effective work place. Respecting employees involves giving those achievable objectives and goals and providing suitable conditions to realize those goals (Cardon and Bribiescas 2015; 48).

The principle of respect for people is also important in problem solving activities of an organization. To achieve optimal production, managers will involve their employees in solving problems and adopting the best solutions for effective and efficient production in an organization. This principle will enable workers in all departments to demonstrate their capabilities in solving problems and coming up with achievable solutions that assist the organization in optimizing its production, hence elimination waste (Cardon and Bribiescas 2015; 48). Active involvement of employees in running the organization forms the highest form of respect for people as was demonstrated by Fujio Cho of Toyota Company (Cardon and Bribiescas 2015; 50).

In order to meet the customer's value and satisfaction, the principle of respect for people will play an important role. This will enable the organization to understand their customers' needs and preference by providing the best quality products. Since customers are the reason for the existence of any organization, the lean system is expressed though the respect for people by providing quality products at affordable prices and giving the necessary care and attention to customers (Cardon and Bribiescas 2015; 46). This will, in turn, optimize production and eliminate any unnecessary waste.

Implementation of Lean

The transition from the traditional to lean manufacturing involves a radical change in the cultural aspect within the organization rather than the manufacturing or the technical issues (Ahmad 2013; 334). Organizations always have little chance of implementing lean system unless they pay more attention to the culture, terms, and conditions of implementing lean (Ahmad 2013; 334). Management of any organization plays an important role in the implementation of the lean system by taking into consideration the respect to the workforce and waste elimination strategies (Taleghani 2010; 287). Many organizations use the lean system to sustain their business in the global market as a tool to improve their competitiveness. For effective implementation of lean, many organizations employ the leadership qualities and capabilities in achieving efficient project management styles (Taleghani 2010; 289). Good leadership provides adequate skills and knowledge that are necessary for the enhancement of a good workforce that eliminates waste. Lean implementation should be consistent with any company, but each company should strive to identify value adding time and reduce the non-value added activities (Taleghani 2010; 289).

Introduction and success of lean also rely on several factors such as top management, thinking development, training and education, employees, working culture, communication and resources an business planning, customer focus and government intervention (Alefari et al. 2017; 757). Senior management also plays a vital role in the implementation of lean by ensuring a clear vision and providing strategic leadership (Alefari et al. 2017; 757). Taiichi Ohno also identified the principle of respect for people through the continuous involvement of employees in the improvement process as one of the factors that influence effective lean transformation (Coetzee et al. 2016; 80). Implementation of lean therefore involves the formation of a strong team that appreciates the lean thinking, formulating strategies that eliminate waste by eliminating the non-adding value activities and finally involving employees in problem solving activities of the organization.

Respect for People

The principle of respect for people focuses on the people more than the tools of an organization in the production and manufacturing processes. Many companies value the aspect of "people first" since lean manufacturing takes care of cost saving, efficiency and value to customers (Bangert 2016; 37). Respect for people enables a company to provide value and satisfaction to customers thereby creating a cohesive community that values the needs of customers by putting them first (Lindman 2010; 48). The lean system also demonstrates the aspect of respect for people in the workplace by involving their employees in the problem solving activities of the organization and hence adopting the best solutions for effective and efficient production in an organization (Lindman 2010; 48). Respecting employees also involves giving those achievable objectives and goals to employees and providing suitable conditions to realize those goals, and in the long run, optimize production and eliminate waste (Cardon and Bribiescas 2015; 48).

Respect for people also applies between an organization and its suppliers. Mutual respect is essential to maintain a timely delivery and a regular supply of raw materials. In this respect, organizations will manage to cope with the competitive and hostile markets. Lean companies also reciprocate this aspect for respect for people by paying their suppliers on time. This enables a constant supply of goods by the lean companies to their customers.

Contemporary business management requires that an organization have full knowledge of the customer value and make it its greatest asset. Due to the high competition meeting, the customer's needs and value are the only factors that will sustain an organization in a competitive market (Lindman 2010; 48). It is important to determine what a customer values and what is valued the most (Lindman 2010; 49). Lean companies allow customers to return goods in case of any problem or dissatisfaction as a means of honoring and maintaining mutual respect. Lean companies always s...