In the fall of 2005, James P. Womack and Daniel T. Jones published an article in the Harvard Business Review describing a new theory called Lean Consumption.
Lean Consumption is based on Lean Manufacturing, also known as Lean Production. Lean Manufacturing was pioneered by Toyota founder Taiichi Ohno, and revolutionized and streamlined the manufacturing industry. Whereas Lean Manufacturing set out ways to streamline manufacturing processes, Lean Consumption "minimizes customers' time and effort by delivering exactly what they want when and where they want it". Processes are focused on eliminating waste, while increasing productivity, speed of operation and improving customer interaction.
This process was proposed for large corporations, but smaller corporations have been able to take this theory and apply it to small business. This has the effect of more efficient business and better customer service and SLAs.
Related fields to Lean Consumption include:
- Six Sigma
- Lean Thinking
- Theory of Constraints
Read more about Lean Consumption: Principles of Lean Consumption, Methodology, Companies That Use Lean Consumption and Variations, Lean Consumption in The IT Industry
Famous quotes containing the words lean and/or consumption:
“Leaves and bark, leaves and bark,
To lean against and hear in the dark.
Petals I may have once pursued.
Leaves are all my darker mood.”
—Robert Frost (1874–1963)
“Tourism, human circulation considered as consumption ... is fundamentally nothing more than the leisure of going to see what has become banal.”
—Guy Debord (b. 1931)