Lean Companies

A story of caring leadership and creativity

FeaturesNov 29, 2021

FEATURE – A leader’s creativity and care for her people can lead to extraordinary results even in the most challenging of environments. As the latest LGN book comes out, the author reflects on one of the most impressive lean transformations you will come across.

A chat with Furuta-san

InterviewsOct 28, 2021

Kiyoshi "Nate" Furuta

INTERVIEW – PL meets the author of the recently published book Welcome Problems, Find Success, who discusses bringing lean to different cultures and changing managerial behaviors.

Reflecting on Nate Furuta’s legacy

InterviewsOct 7, 2021

Mark Reich

INTERVIEW – Looking back at the time he spent at Toyota, Mark Reich reflects on his experience working with Nate Furuta and on his legacy exporting Toyota cultures around the world.

What my Toyota mentors taught me about problem-finding

FeaturesSep 20, 2021

Kiyoshi "Nate" Furuta

FEATURE – Introducing his book, the author tells us what his Toyota mentors taught him with their contrasting, but ultimately complimentary approaches to problem finding.

Don’t try to copy Toyota, understand it instead

FeaturesSep 13, 2021

Kiyoshi "Nate" Furuta

FEATURE – Based on his direct decades-long experience at Toyota, the author explains what it takes to establish problem-finding and a kaizen culture in new environments.

Is radical quality possible in the tech industry?

FeaturesSep 9, 2021

Woody Rousseau

FEATURE - The author explains how a recent book on radical quality improvement in manufacturing inspired him to initiate similar experiments in his software development firm.

Creating Toyota cultures around the world

FeaturesSep 6, 2021

John Shook

FEATURE – The Lean Global Network just published a new book by Kiyoshi “Nate” Furuta sharing compelling examples of how Toyota principles and culture can be effectively spread to new environments.

Deep dive in a lean digital company #6

FeaturesAug 30, 2021

Catherine Chabiron

FEATURE – In the final article of her series, the author spends a day with Theodo’s CEO and co-founder to learn how lean informs its strategy and vision.

Bringing Dantotsu quality improvement to parts makers

FeaturesAug 12, 2021

Toshiko Narusawa

FEATURE – Improving supplier quality and reduce defects was an important part of Toyota Industries Corporation’s (TICO) Dantotsu activities since the very beginning. In this article, the author visits two parts suppliers.

A chat with Nomura-san

InterviewsJul 22, 2021

Toshiko Narusawa

INTERVIEW – Following his 10 years at Toyota Industries Corporation (TICO) teaching his Dantotsu method for radical quality improvement, Sadao Nomura spoke to Japanese magazine Kojo Kanri (Factory Management).

Superior quality to beat the competition

FeaturesJul 15, 2021

Toshiko Narusawa

FEATURE – Today we repurpose a great article published in 2016 on Japanese industry magazine Kojo Kanri that focuses on radical quality improvement at Toyota Industries Corporation.

How Dantotsu helped us to radically improve our quality

InterviewsJul 8, 2021

Stefano Cortiglioni

INTERVIEW – The former executive of the Toyota Material Handling plant in Italy reflects on how Sadao Nomura’s “Dantotsu” method helped them to drastically improve quality.

Deep dive in a lean digital company #5

FeaturesJul 5, 2021

Catherine Chabiron

FEATURE – For a few years now, Theodo has made of quality and customer satisfaction the main focus of its work, and it is paying off. But what does it mean to pursue and improve quality at a digital company?

Deep dive in a lean digital company #4

FeaturesJun 3, 2021

Catherine Chabiron

FEATURE – This month, the author learns how gemba walks happen in a digital environment, where the work and information are typically hidden in computers.

Deep dive in a lean digital company #3

FeaturesMay 6, 2021

Catherine Chabiron

FEATURE – The third article in this new series discusses Theodo’s approach to talent recruitment and development, to ensure the right resources are there to support the company’s growth at all times.

Deep dive in a lean digital company #2

FeaturesApr 1, 2021

Catherine Chabiron

FEATURE – In the second article in her new series, the author discusses how focusing on customer value helped a fintech start-up to grow fivefold just last year.

Deep dive in a lean digital company #1

FeaturesFeb 18, 2021

Catherine Chabiron

NOTES FROM THE GEMBA – The author visits the office of Theodo France and learns how the lean digital company is leveraging lean thinking and practice to support its ongoing growth – even through the pandemic.

Two giants, two communities, one lasting thing

FeaturesFeb 1, 2021

John Shook

FEATURE – John Shook remembers the work of Ezra Vogel and Norman Bodek and discusses how, in their own way, each of their contributions help us to understand the Toyota Production System.

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Lean Companies

A story of caring leadership and creativity

A chat with Furuta-san

Reflecting on Nate Furuta’s legacy

What my Toyota mentors taught me about problem-finding

Don’t try to copy Toyota, understand it instead

Is radical quality possible in the tech industry?

Creating Toyota cultures around the world

Deep dive in a lean digital company #6

Bringing Dantotsu quality improvement to parts makers

A chat with Nomura-san

Superior quality to beat the competition

How Dantotsu helped us to radically improve our quality

Deep dive in a lean digital company #5

Deep dive in a lean digital company #4

Deep dive in a lean digital company #3

Deep dive in a lean digital company #2

Deep dive in a lean digital company #1

Two giants, two communities, one lasting thing