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Can Lean Manufacturing Put an End to Sweatshops?

Harvard Business Review

It involves replacing traditional mass manufacturing with “lean manufacturing” principles. Over the last thirty years, the lean approach — developed by Japanese automakers — has permeated the manufacturing sector in developed countries, but is much less commonly used in the developing world.

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We Need a Better Language for Organizational Relationships

Harvard Business Review

We use vague terms like "line" and "dotted-line" or "team" and expect managers to be able to function effectively. One unit, such as finance or HR, sets policy, often in consultation with operating units. One unit is charged with persuading operating units to give special attention to some issue they might not be managing well.

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Diet and Exercise Tips from Process Fitness Fanatics

Harvard Business Review

Danaher, the $10 billion conglomerate of 600 manufacturing companies, got serious about process improvement after the surprising turnaround of a subsidiary in the mid-1990s. Its Jacobs Vehicle Systems unit used lean manufacturing techniques to eliminate waste, reduce floor space, and improve product flow.