
Before lean manufacturing innovations, Japan mostly sold consumer electronics to the United States. How did lean manufacturing innovations alter Japan’s
Concept Introduction:
Lean Manufacturing:
Lean manufacturing or simply lean refers to a systematic method for waste minimization within a manufacturing system without the loss of productivity. A more precise definition of the term is “doing more with less by employing 'lean thinking.' Lean manufacturing involves never-ending efforts to eliminate or reduce waste in design, manufacturing, distribution, and customer service processes.”
Waste in this context is defined as any activity that does not add value to the customer or for which the customer is not willing to pay. In lean manufacturing there are seven types of waste:
- Over-production against plan
- Waiting time of operators and machines
- Unnecessary transportation
- Waste in the process itself
- Excess stock of material and components
- Non-value-adding motion
- Defects in quality
Comparative Advantage:
In international trade, if a country can produce goods and services at a lower

Want to see the full answer?
Check out a sample textbook solution
- How can Rent-to-own industries avoid the restrictions on interest rates? Explain.arrow_forwardExplain why rent-to-own operations are so attractive to so many people compared to saving the money to buy the desired item or going to a thrift store to acquire the item?arrow_forwardExplain the business practices of the rent-to-own industry.arrow_forward
- Principles of Economics (12th Edition)EconomicsISBN:9780134078779Author:Karl E. Case, Ray C. Fair, Sharon E. OsterPublisher:PEARSONEngineering Economy (17th Edition)EconomicsISBN:9780134870069Author:William G. Sullivan, Elin M. Wicks, C. Patrick KoellingPublisher:PEARSON
- Principles of Economics (MindTap Course List)EconomicsISBN:9781305585126Author:N. Gregory MankiwPublisher:Cengage LearningManagerial Economics: A Problem Solving ApproachEconomicsISBN:9781337106665Author:Luke M. Froeb, Brian T. McCann, Michael R. Ward, Mike ShorPublisher:Cengage LearningManagerial Economics & Business Strategy (Mcgraw-...EconomicsISBN:9781259290619Author:Michael Baye, Jeff PrincePublisher:McGraw-Hill Education





