Lean Thinking ^{2nd Ed.}

James P. Womack and Daniel T. Jones's classic book Lean Thinking has sold in the hundreds of thousands in a dozen countries. Today, nearly seven years after the publication of the first edition — and given ample evidence that businesspeople are finding the book increasingly relevant — it is clearer than ever that lean thinking is the single most powerful tool available for creating value while eliminating waste in any organization. As economies have gyrated, stock markets have crashed, and the poster companies of the 1990s have flown a ballistic trajectory, the lean exemplars profiled in the book — led by Toyota — have continued their methodical march from success to success by creating truly sustainable value for their customers, their employees, and their owners. In this revised and updated edition, Womack and Jones now bring the story of the continuing advance of lean thinking up-to-date, and also share a range of new tools aimed at the successful application of lean thinking.

• Preface to the 2003 Edition
• Preface to the First Edition: From Lean Production to Lean Enterprise
• PART I: LEAN PRINCIPLES
  • Introduction: Lean Thinking versus Muda
  1. Value
  2. The Value Stream
  3. Flow
  4. Pull
  5. Perfection
• PART II: FROM THINKING TO ACTION: THE LEAN LEAP
  6. The Simple Case
  7. A Harder Case
  8. The Acid Test
  9. Lean Thinking versus German Technik
  10. Mighty Toyota; Tiny Showa
  11. An Action Plan
• PART III: LEAN ENTERPRISE
  12. A Channel for the Stream; a Valley for the Channel
  13. Dreaming About Perfection
• PART IV: EPILOGUE
  14. The Steady Advance of Lean Thinking
  15. Institutionalizing the Revolution
  • Afterword: The Lean Network
  • Appendix: Individuals and Organizations Who Helped

Sigh. Boring, full of stories without any discernable point. The funny point are stuff like: "demand immediate results" which isn't what a consultant trying to implement Lean into an organisation wants to preach (they usually talk about "… 5 years before we begin to detect visible changes to the bottom line…").

Anyway, it can be read as an overview of lean thinking, but it is very boringly written, not very well researched (except anecdotal) and very few (if any) real practical advice.

You may miss it without any sorrow, but may need to read it to be able to say that you have read it…