The difference between traditional method and lean method

The difference between traditional approach and lean approach

these years , In the process of promoting lean production , Always record 、 Collect some differences between traditional mass production and lean production . These differences cover almost all aspects of the enterprise . Although sometimes thrilling , But it is also a very interesting and eye opening thing to get personal experience in it .

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1. The basic idea
Mass production is based on the idea of economies of scale , It is believed that the expansion of business scale can reduce the average cost , So as to improve the profit level , Traditional management accounting is the product of mass production , Therefore, the calculation method of unit cost provides a solid scientific basis for mass production — The larger the batch , The lower the cost .

Lean production pursues “ Time economy “, Reduce the batch continuously , So as to shorten the cycle time , Make the investment realized as quickly as possible .

2. downtime
The traditional management thought thinks , Stopping the production line or machinery and equipment is a waste of production capacity , Never stop the machine , Especially those expensive equipment , What follows is a lot of inventory , Even a lot of rework . I have seen some pursuits with my own eyes “ automation “ The automation equipment adopted by the company will automatically deliver the defective products to when detecting defects ” Unqualified products “ passageway , So that the equipment can continue automatic production without stopping . When problems occur and you have to shut down , It must also be approved by the leadership , The machine can be shut down . Last , They may also be held responsible for downtime .

Lean approach , The on-site front-line operators are required to stop the production line immediately in case of any abnormality , Or stop the machine immediately when any abnormality is detected , And require relevant support personnel and management personnel to rush to the site immediately , When arriving at the site, the first thing to do is to thank the employees who stopped the production line or equipment .

3. automation
The traditional way pursues too much “ high velocity ” and “ Mass production ”, Because it can reduce the single piece cost , Therefore, they often invest in rigid automation , Can produce a single product , The equipment is large and stationary , Faster and faster , The batch is getting larger and larger , And no matter what process is to achieve “ Unmanned “ take as an honor .

The lean approach pursues “ The right speed ”、“ Small batch ” and “ flexibility “, Therefore, we are willing to develop flexible automation , And low-cost automation based on some simple ideas , And only in the process that is not suitable for personnel to participate “ Unmanned ”. in fact , Those that are large and difficult to move 、 Mass production equipment is a disaster for lean thinkers .

4. Quick die change
I have noticed that both traditional mass production enterprises and lean production enterprises are trying to practice rapid mold change . Mass production will quickly use the time saved by rapid die change to produce more products , That is to increase the production batch ; The lean production method uses the time saved by rapid die change to increase the frequency of die change and reduce the batch , Unless the equipment capacity itself is not enough to meet the needs of customers , Otherwise, it is not allowed to produce more products .

5. Standard operation
The traditional management thought thinks , The formulation and implementation of standards must be the responsibility of different departments , Otherwise, I am very worried that the standards will be too loose and unreliable , So it is usually the engineer who sets the standard , Front line operators only need to implement the standards , More Than This , Process audits must also be used to monitor employee compliance with standards , Once illegal operations are found , Plus the traditional management habits “ Reward and punishment thinking ”, Will be linked to performance .

However , Lean management cultivates reliable employees , The personnel performing the work shall set their own standards , In this way, the standard will naturally be supported and observed by site personnel , The purpose of formulating standards is to share and transfer knowledge , And provide a starting point for improvement , So that everyone can improve it ,“ No standards, no improvements ”. Besides , The purpose of process audit is also to find exceptions and implement improvement , To achieve process stabilization , Therefore, the discovery of nonconformities will only trigger root cause analysis and improvement .

Most of the traditional management thoughts are cultivated from a high position “ technician ” A self styled engineer . When I put forward suggestions in an enterprise, the engineer cooperated with the production site to confirm its process flow , The manager of the process Department of this enterprise said with a strong voice , The engineer is responsible for designing the process , they （ Operators ） Just do it , No confirmation is required . Its senior leaders also turn a blind eye to this situation , Obviously acquiesced . In such a cultural environment , What the field personnel said “ Engineers have never discussed problems with them or listened to their opinions ” No wonder . Last , I personally collect with the on-site personnel 、 Confirm process problems and improvement suggestions , Many process rationalization improvements are promoted by senior managers .

6. Standard working hours
The standard working hours in traditional enterprises are “ A soldier's land ”, This is because the traditional mass production method uses standard working hours to measure output and assess employee performance , Therefore, the standard working hours must be set by the engineer , Employees are excusable for striving for their own interests , But no matter how hard the engineers try , The standard working hours are still unable to be absolutely objective and fair 、 Avoid leaning to either side . What is more , An enterprise evaluates the performance of all front-line employees with standard working hours , Including an auxiliary tooling department , Therefore, all the tools and fixtures required by the production line , Including tools and fixtures required for improvement , The planning department shall submit the next production work order to the tooling department , And make a production plan for it , In order to improve the output man hours of the tooling department , As much as possible, it is necessary to carry out mass production , More Than This , The tooling department also takes time to ask the engineering department or the planning department for more man hours , Or give priority to more working hours 、 Tasks that are easier to improve their performance , Not what the production line is waiting for 、 Immediate tasks , All this is a waste in the eyes of lean thinkers , There is no value ！

Lean approach , The standard working hours shall be determined by the site staff , The aim is to achieve continuous improvement 、 Teamwork , So as to achieve the common goal of the team , Standard working hours 、 staff 、 The team and the enterprise operate harmoniously in an environment of mutual trust , The absurd phenomenon in the above-mentioned traditional enterprises naturally disappeared , Of course , These can be achieved under the Lean culture .

7. product quality
Just like the traditional management thought “ Division of labor idea ”, The production and inspection of products must also be the responsibility of different departments , such , The responsibility for inspection and testing must be entrusted to “ Other departments ” be responsible for , And this department is the quality department , Therefore, the quality department naturally becomes the primary or even the only Department of product quality assurance , The only way for the quality department to ensure product quality is to conduct more strict inspection （ Improve inspection standards ） Or add an inspection process , Eventually, the quality department will evolve into a huge “ Inspection department ”, And the product usually has to wait until the last process “ Handover ” To the inspector , The inspector shall take the form of “ Block any defective products ” Work toward a goal to improve “ Inspection department ” The performance of , If you take the time to “ In time ” Feedback problems or participate in quality improvement , It will reduce the performance of inspection , So there is a lot of rework and scrap .

In a lean way , The employees responsible for the production of products are also responsible for the quality of products , Therefore, we can get the product quality feedback and make improvement at the first time , And then realize zero defect .

8. Mode of Supply
Under the traditional mass production mode , materiel 、 Information 、 Documents, etc. are piled up in front of the process with a large amount of inventory to ensure that each process runs with the highest efficiency , These inventories are generated for a variety of reasons , For example, in response to equipment failure 、 Personnel ask for leave 、 Quality problems 、 Plan change, etc , Or because there is a minimum lot size rule , Or to reduce the frequency of handling , wait .

Lean production is to achieve JIT（Just In Time, At the necessary time 、 Provide necessary quantity of necessary parts at necessary places ） Target , Use various lean tools and methods to eliminate the causes of inventory as much as possible , Keep reducing inventory , It is committed to eliminating inventory by connecting processes to achieve continuous flow .

9. Operation mode
By division of labor , Give Way “ Professional people do professional things ”, And then it can be processed in batches , In this way, the work can be done efficiently , This is a deep-rooted concept of traditional management thinking . To some extent, it is true . But traditional enterprises emphasize too much on division of labor and neglect cooperation , After the division of labor, it is often necessary to establish a serial process in order to barely maintain the connection between the various parts , It is understandable that all processes strictly follow the process , Do your duty only when the process arrives , But no one is responsible for overall efficiency .

In a lean way , All process employees are organized into a multi-functional team , All team members work for the same goal , Team members often master multiple skills through job rotation , Therefore, it is convenient to integrate multiple functions when necessary without affecting the overall process , Many serial processes are replaced by parallel processes , Make team collaboration possible or closer .

10. design methods
The above working methods include product design methods . The product design process of traditional enterprises is mostly serial process , for example , The designer must complete the product design drawing , Can be delivered to the manufacturing personnel for sample manufacturing , If any problem is found during the manufacturing process, the designer must update the design drawing and then deliver it to the manufacturer for re manufacturing samples , The lean product design process is a parallel process , Designers work closely with relevant personnel at the design drawing stage , Confirm the details while designing , In order to reduce the later design changes .

11. Organization
In traditional enterprises , according to “ Labor division theory ”, According to the type of work （ occupation ） Divided into “ Electrician ”、“ Fitter ”、“ examination clerk ”、“ Machining ”、“ Sheet metal workers ” wait , similarly , The equipment is also divided into machining equipment according to its function 、 Grinding equipment 、 Test equipment 、 Spraying equipment 、 Packaging equipment, etc , And divide the department or group accordingly . When I first implemented lean production in an enterprise , I met a “ Electrician ” It is not acceptable to tighten even one bolt “ Bench work “, Make the process optimization blocked . in fact , When Toyota set up its first factory overseas , The first thing to be promoted is to greatly reduce the number of types of work , Prepare for lean implementation . In a lean way , Employees and equipment are not divided and arranged according to the type of work or function , It is organized based on products and their processes , This makes the product flow smoother , The team is also more focused , To achieve higher overall performance .

12. Organizational structure
The organizational structure of some traditional enterprises presents a pagoda style , Multi level 、 There are many leaders 、 Information feedback is slow 、 Poor adaptability . It began at the end of last century “ Organization reengineering “ Exercise will ” flat “ The management concept has brought the global business community . Some traditional enterprises are adopting ” flat “ To the other extreme , A manager can have dozens of direct subordinates , So as to demonstrate its management ability , And it retains the power held by the traditional organization management 、 Commanding leadership , In the end, they fell into chaos and ineffective management in the busy work of managers .

Lean organization aims to cultivate and develop people , Each level of management is the mentor of the next level , Every employee has at least one mentor to guide them throughout their career . In order to establish a close relationship between the tutor and his students , Its organizational structure remains flat to an appropriate extent , To ensure effective guidance .

13. Working relationship
The traditional enterprise has its own organizational style and structure , And the emphasis on personal competition and other reasons , There are often high barriers between departments 、 Information is closed to each other , Leaders fight openly and secretly , Grass roots employees rarely have real teamwork , The basic principle of information sharing pursued is “ Unless you ask for it , Otherwise, all information is classified by the Department “. In a lean way , The basic principle of information sharing is ” Unless it is defined as confidential , Otherwise all information is shared “, Visualization strengthens the openness and transparency of information , Common goals and emphasis on collectivism enable fully empowered employees to form effective teamwork .

14. Supplier relationship
When dealing with suppliers , Traditional enterprises often take “ I let you make money “ The attitude of self styled , There is only the right to request from suppliers , No obligation to help , When the supplier cannot meet its stringent requirements, it will be punished or replaced easily , As irresponsible as its easy replacement of underperforming employees . Based on simple “ Zero sum thinking ”, These enterprises will also try their best to compete with suppliers for benefits , Keep lowering the purchase price or change suppliers frequently for lower purchase price , Therefore, they do not trust each other with suppliers , There is no intention of long-term cooperation , Turn around and expect to establish a long-term cooperative relationship with your customers .

Lean enterprise pursues coexistence and common prosperity with suppliers , Purchase at the right price to ensure the supplier's reasonable profit , And provide all necessary assistance to suppliers to reach the price 、 quality 、 Delivery, etc , Treat suppliers as partners , Build long-term relationships . Since the last century 80 In the s, they began to actively send lean experts to guide their suppliers to introduce lean production to improve performance 、 cost reduction , In order to prevent Toyota's purchasing department from taking the opportunity to lower prices to suppliers , Toyota stipulates that these assistance actions shall be kept confidential to the purchasing department . Besides , To build long-term trust , Toyota also has cross shareholdings with its major suppliers .

15. Competitor view
Traditional enterprises regard their competitors as one of the irreconcilable contradictions , In the market competition , Helping a competitor is a traitor 、 The spy , It must be killed . In sharp contrast to this is Toyota's view of competitors . as everyone knows , Toyota factory is open to the outside world （ Including competitors ） Open visit , And output to help it develop into the first Toyota production mode in the world , In the early stage, it also established a joint venture with general motors , Teach their lean approach . More Than This , When Toyota's suppliers were interrupted by the earthquake , Toyota offered assistance and helped it improve , So that the supplier can resume production and supply quickly , At this time, Toyota demanded that the supplier treat all its customer automobile factories equally （ Including Toyota's competitors ）, Resume supply of parts to Toyota's competitors in the same proportion . Because Toyota believes , We should coexist with our suppliers and competitors , The existence of competitors promotes the development of suppliers , The development of suppliers is conducive to their own development , meanwhile , The existence of competitors also reminds me that I can't stop the pace of improvement . Traditional enterprises see the irreconcilable contradiction between the two sides , Toyota clearly sees the indispensability of both sides of the contradiction .

16. Employee view
Traditional enterprises regard employees as costs , As a result, downsizing has become the first effective means to reduce costs , Enterprises are reluctant to invest in employee training and development , Even use the return on investment limited to calculable return to measure the value of employees . I have worked for an enterprise , At an operation management meeting , The general manager justifiably asked all departments to cooperate closely to ensure that the production and warehousing in the current month were carried out as planned , The reason is that , When the product is finished and warehoused, the output man hours will be increased , In this way, the fixed cost of human head can be effectively digested .（ The irony is , These products have no customer needs at all . If the general manager doesn't change his mind , In such an enterprise, the implementation of lean production must be a dead end .） Lean enterprises are people-oriented , Regard employees as the most valuable asset , I believe that everyone has unlimited potential , Vigorously cultivate and develop employees , Increase the value of assets .

17. Personnel assessment
Traditional enterprises use KPI（ Key Performance Indicators , It belongs to the outcome indicator ） To assess personnel performance , Different departments 、 Different people , Its KPI The settings are also different , This tends to weaken teamwork , And eventually it's down KPI Achievement rate . Lean enterprises use KPI and KBI( Key behavioral indicators , It belongs to process indicators ) Combined assessment indicators , Its KPI For team performance , Individual performance uses KBI, Because lean enterprises believe , At work, there are no outcome indicators that can be achieved by individuals , meanwhile , As long as individuals reach the key behavioral indicators that are effectively identified , It will help the organization achieve its performance goals .

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The above list does not list all the differences between the traditional approach and the lean approach . in fact , There are also many differences , It can be said that there are numerous . Behind these differences are the differences in values and ideas , Therefore, implementing lean in a traditional enterprise often means rebuilding values and ideas 、 Rebuild the standard of right and wrong .

A few years ago , I cautiously shared some differences at an annual management meeting of an enterprise , In order to arouse the attention and reflection of the company's management 、 And then make some changes within our power ; But I also want to avoid making people feel “ Are you saying that everything we do is wrong ？” Because in that case , I will make countless enemies , Even set himself on fire . Then I came to realize , People usually can only in principle “ Be reasonable “, Attempt to change one's values or ideas 、 Conceptually ” Be reasonable “ It doesn't work , In especial ” Be reasonable “ When the target is your superior , The situation is even worse . Just like one who promotes lean in the world 30 Lean master for more than years described in his works , This can only depend on their self - awareness .

in summary , The key person to successfully implement lean change is the top leader . Next , I will share the key elements for successful implementation of lean change .

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