A management framework for understanding change in a lean environment

Abstract

This paper examines human behavior with regard to the transition from a traditional manufacturing philosophy to the implementation of the lean management philosophy. Diverse reasons for why and how associates resist or embrace change in transitioning from a traditional manufacturing environment to a lean manufacturing environment are explored in a lean management model. Senior-management leadership and intrinsic cost/benefit analyses to change by associates play crucial roles in the successful transformation to a lean environment. Knowledge about the myriad reasons why and how associates resist or embrace change may prove useful to engineering managers who champion a massive transformation in business philosophies.