Hence, it is no surprise that these two camps clash. However, it is a mistake for a manufacturer to pursue one of these strategies totally to the exclusion of the other. Indeed, tomorrow's most successful manufacturers will learn how to artfully blend the best of both worlds to create the next-generation powerhouses. In terms of manufacturing's end goals there is no dispute between the two schools. Manufacturing always seeks to maximize productivity and quality at the lowest possible cost.
Firms also wish to become exceptionally responsive to customers.
Japan's phenomenal success in manufacturing derives heavily from its Lean practices. In a nutshell, the approach emphasizes creating great systems and solutions and then running them repeatedly with minimal change. For instance, in its assembly plants Toyota creates one daily build sequence, and then repeats that sequence daily for an entire month, making only the most modest changes. Materials flow through a Lean plant without interruption, attaining impressive throughput rates at exceptional quality levels. Lean production lines feeding Japanese assembly plants similarly enjoy superior inventory turns and overall performance, found University of Michigan professor Jeff Liker.