ABSTRACT
The Toyota Production System, as it’s known to many, has helped countless manufacturing companies throughout the world remain competitive and even thrive, because Toyota freely shared their methods and successes with the world. Seeing the successes in manufacturing, other business sectors such as healthcare, insurance, banking, software development, government, and education began modifying and adapting Toyota’s model. Lean can help strengthen students institution’s ability to effectively meet many challenges that lie ahead. Manufacturers see Lean as a critical part of doing business. Whether students call it Lean, process improvement, continuous improvement, rapid process improvement, kaizen or another term is not important. What is important is that students institution understands the level of commitment needed, and the potential benefits that can be gained in order to make a decision on whether or not to start a formal Lean/continuous improvement program.
