In the early 1990s the Massachusetts Institute of Technology promoted a research program coordinated by Daniel Roos whose collaboration with James Womack and Daniel Jones gave birth to the publication of "The Machine that Changed the World". This book summarizes a series of researches carried out by a group of scholars; during the ‘70s those researches, within the automotive industry, were promoted, because of the evident increase of the presence of the Japanese automotive industry on the American market. Many hypotheses were initially raised and the merit of this publication was to make known the obsolete nature of Fordism and Taylorist production by demonstrating a better efficiency of Toyota's Japanese managerial and production system.
The Lean approach developed starting from the philosophy of Total Quality Management popular in Japan in the 1950s within the Toyota Production System (TPS) also called Toyotism or Ohnoism. Taiichi Ohno, engineer and company manager who revisioned the production methodologies by introducing, together with his team, a production system based on some key concepts such as Just-in-Time (synchronized production) and Jidoka (self-control of machines).
Following World War II in Japan, with the tragic aftermath of the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, there emerged a compelling urge for revolution and a demand for innovation. After the war, resources were limited, and Japanese companies were looking for efficient ways to produce goods with few resources. The Japanese example differs from the approach that characterized Western industries at the time, trapped in the Fordist mentality and based on mass production, which cancels out all the peculiarities in favor of a standardized product with obvious cheapness.
In Japanese culture, waste would be similar to a sin and this cultural aspect is evident in the Japanese production system. This system is meticulously crafted to eliminate waste, engaging every level within the company to usher in tangible improvements: Ohno introduced innovations such as emergency buttons to stop production quickly, promoted effective communication, individual responsibility at all levels and the prevention of problems at their root.
The name Lean Management was coined only later when in 1988 John F. Krafcik entitled his graduate thesis "Triumph of the Lean production system", combining TPS and Lean Thinking, a lean way of thinking, based on building excellent processes without wasting time and resources.
From that point onward, the term introduced the concept to a Western world where the adoption of this system was met with skepticism due to a widespread job insecurity among Western workers.
The approaches to improvement proposed by lean management are operational methodologies that reflect a philosophy of continuous improvement through active participation and empowerment at all levels of the organization. Over the years, the concept of Lean has expanded far beyond manufacturing and the automotive industry and is now successfully applied in industries such as services, healthcare, software and much more.
This systematic approach not only shapes a mindset but also transforms company production by establishing cooperative and accountable relationships. This lays the foundation for more effective and sustainable company management. Collaboration and a profound understanding of processes are crucial for the success of Lean Management, which has shown significant enhancements in quality, productivity, and adaptability.