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Lean Transformations for Small and Medium Enterprises: Lessons Learned from Italian Businesses summarizes two decades of research, teaching, and practice on lean thinking.
Based on quantitative analysis of 100 cases of Lean transformations and 20 in-depth case studies of successfully transformed SMEs, it explains how to undertake lean transformations that lead to operational and financial performance improvement, and uses the Lean Transformation Framework --conceptualized by John Shook at the Lean Enterprise Institute—as a practical approach to design and de-risk the transformation process.
SMEs’ leaders wishing to undertake and sustain a lean transformation must:
- Make a serious and lasting commitment to transform, avoiding the temptation to change course of action;
- Choose accurately the value streams that require improvement as defined by strategy deployment;
- Build capabilities to sustain the transformation;
- Lead by example by going to gemba and creating a culture of respect for people that goes beyond the visible devices and artifacts of Lean tools.
