Description
Japanese manufacturers have made concepts like kaizen (continuous improvement), poka-yoke (mistake-proofing), and just-in-time famous. When the Japanese began to adopt these techniques from the Ford Motor Company during the early twentieth century, they knew exactly what they were getting: proven methods for mass-producing any product or delivering any service cheaply but well. Henry FordAs methods, however, went well beyond the synergistic and mutually supporting techniques that constitute what we now call lean manufacturing. They included the soft sciences, the organizational psychology that makes every employee a partner in the drive for success. In Henry FordAs Lean Vision, William A. Levinson draws from Henry FordAs writings, the procedures in his factories, and historical anecdotes about the birth of lean in Japan to show that the philosophy that revolutionized Japanese manufacturing was the same philosophy that grew the Ford Motor Company into a global powerhouse. Levinson reveals how Ford was ahead of other modern visionaries and discusses why the very ideas that made his company such a success where abandoned in his own country, and why they finally found acceptance in Japan. Henry FordAs Lean Vision provides the reader with proven principles and methods that can be applied in any business or service enterprise. It covers all aspects of building and running a successful enterprise, including FordAs principles for human relationships and the management of physical resources. ‘Henry Ford was a true paradigm shifter awhere the rubber meets the pavement,A influencing millions and entire economic and social systems throughout the world. A true visionary, principled pioneer-builder! This amazing book provides a fascinating and inspiring window into his world.’ -Dr. Stephen R. Covey, Author, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. ‘The book captures the idea that sustainable success must come from an integrated approach of leadership, methodology, culture, and organizational alignment. Anyone who is trying to implement Theory of Constraints or Lean or any other improvement methodologies should read and reread this book. Its historical analogies and numerous references to the more modern gurus make it an interesting and enjoyable read!’ -Dee Jacob, Partner, The Goldratt Institute. Contents include: Introduction; What to Expect from this Book; Background Resources; Chapter by Chapter Overview: Chapter 1: Brave New World: Changing How the World Works; The Bottom Line: Ford’s Results Speak for Themselves; Defining Lean Enterprise; Ford’s Basic Principles. Chapter 2: Ford’s Principles: The Foundation; Natural Law; Ford and Eastern Philosophy: The Japanese Connection; Continuous Improvement: Kaizen; Bringing Win-Win to the Workplace; Service. Chapter 3: Ford on Labor Relations; Management and Labor as Partners; No Free Lunch: A Key Concept; Human Resource Practices; Employee Housing and Stores. Chapter 4: Principles for Organizational and Personal Success; Persistence; Initiative; Breaking Down Organizational Barriers; Corporate Culture at the Ford Motor Company; How the Ford Motor Company Lost Its Culture. Chapter 5: Perceiving Genuine Value; A Warning to the United States; Everything Must Add Value; Middlemen Do Not Add Value; Advertising as Waste; No Free Lunch. Chapter 6: Ford on Economics, Government, and Health Care; Business Cycles; The Stock Market Should Be Irrelevant to National Prosperity; The Role of Inexpensive Energy; The Role of Government; Health Care. Chapter 7: Eliminate Waste; ‘Everything But the Squeal’ ISO 14000 Is Free. Chapter 8: Ford’s Factory; The Factory and the Worker; Continuous Improvement: Kaizen; Lean Manufacturing 5S-CANDO; Just-In-Time (JIT) Manufacturing and Inventory Reduction; Design for Manufacture and Design for Assembly; Process Simplification and Improvement; Packaging and Delivery; Point-of-Use Assembly; Occupational Safety; Quality Control. Chapter 9: Customer and Supplier Relation
