Contrast the application of lean concepts in North American-based facilities versus Japan-based facilities, and describe the benefits and drawbacks of lean production.

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Answer is Lean North American plants are typically larger, deliveries from suppliers are less frequent, more buffer inventory is held, and kanbans are very simple compared to lean plants in Japan. The slow pace of continuous improvement is hard to maintain for North American workers. Thus, kaizen blitzes, intense process improvement over a week's time with immediate results, are easier and more energizing to conduct. Some benefits of lean production include reductions in manufacturing cycle time, reductions in inventory, reductions in labour costs, and reductions in space requirements. However, there are drawbacks. It can be difficult to maintain the discipline of lean production, and lean production may not be the best choice for high-volume repetitive items where mass production is more common. Also, lean production can present problems when unexpected changes in demand or supply occur.

Contrast the Application of Lean Concepts in North American-Based Facilities