Lean Supply Chain and Logistics Management by Paul Myerson

Author:Paul Myerson [Myerson, Paul]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780071766272
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Education
Published: 2012-04-27T07:00:00+00:00

Lean and Technology: Background

A 2006 study by the Aberdeen Group entitled “The Lean Supply Chain Report—Lean Concepts Transcend Manufacturing through the Supply Chain,” found that “as Lean moves from the plant floor to the supply chain, it becomes more difficult to orchestrate activities without automation. Although the Lean early adopters were not proponents of technology, circumstances have changed. The majority of manufacturers rely on a combination of corporate ERP and semi-automated Lean processes to support their business operating models.” [www.aberdeen.com, 2006]

The study goes on to discuss the fact that less than 50 percent of Lean tools such as VSM, supply integration and planning (e.g., kanbans) and scheduling are “automated” using ERP, SCM, and “homegrown” systems with the remainder being more of a pen-and-pencil type of solution (this includes the use of spreadsheets).

However, the Aberdeen research noticed “…a consistent trend for IT solutions with the greatest impact on Lean strategies as customer facing: ‘integrated manufacturing and logistics solution’ and ‘integrated order configuration/management and manufacturing solution.’” [www.aberdeen.com, 2006]

This study indicates that while there has been an increased use of technology in Lean programs, there is still room for continued growth.

According to a more recent Aberdeen Group report from 2009, entitled “Lean Manufacturing: Five Tips for Reducing Waste in the Supply Chain,” organizations that have applied technology to Lean manufacturing today are improving speed, efficiency, and profitability.

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