Lean Transformations for Small and Medium Enterprises

<p><em>Lean Transformations for Small and Medium Enterprises: Lessons Learned from Italian Businesses</em> summarizes two decades of research teaching and practice on lean thinking.</p><p>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.</p><p>SMEs’ leaders wishing to undertake and sustain a lean transformation must: </p><ul> <p> </p> <li>Make a serious and lasting commitment to transform avoiding the temptation to change course of action; </li> <p> </p> <li>Choose accurately the value streams that require improvement as defined by strategy deployment; </li> <p> </p> <li>Build capabilities to sustain the transformation; </li> <p> </p> <li>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.</li> </ul>