Business – 9.3 Operations strategy – Lean production | e-Consult
9.3 Operations strategy – Lean production (1 questions)
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Lean production and quality management are inter‑dependent. The relationship can be summarised as follows:
- Built‑in quality (Jidoka): Defects are detected and stopped at the source, preventing waste.
- Continuous improvement (Kaizen): Ongoing small improvements raise both efficiency and quality.
- Standardised work: Clear procedures reduce variation and errors.
Employee empowerment is crucial because:
- Workers closest to the process are best placed to identify and solve quality issues.
- Training and involvement foster a culture of ownership, encouraging proactive problem‑solving.
- Empowered teams can implement rapid corrective actions, maintaining flow and preventing rework.
Thus, when employees are given authority and responsibility, lean systems achieve higher quality with less waste.