The stage

In the struggle to identify ways of becoming more competitive in today’s market, many organisations are looking to streamline their operations, and, in addition, those of their suppliers in order to address all key influencers of performance. This movement is characterised by the use of lean techniques. Through these techniques organisations may gain a formidable competitive advantage by delivering products or services using less resource than their competitors and which have superior value as defined by their customers. Lean thinking examines the value chain of an organisation and seeks to restructure this so that, ultimately, nothing but value is added and this is achieved in as quick a timeframe as possible. All unnecessary steps are eliminated leaving just the time required, the people needed, and the activities which add value for customers. Lean techniques are also a means of increasing employee satisfaction by making fuller use of their abilities within a holistic working environment.

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