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lEAn oPERATionS 101
absence of inventories, items flow in a smooth and synchronous manner. In fact the
term ‘lean synchronisation’ is perhaps a more accurate name for what we are here call-
ing the ‘lean approach’. Third, note how the synchronisation leads to fewer inventories
in the process, which, in turn, leads to a change in people’s behaviour and involvement
in and motivation for improvement. Finally, note how this motivation to improve rein-
forces the quest for seeking out and eliminating waste within processes. It is these four
elements of customer-based demand triggers, synchronised flow, enhanced improve-
ment behaviour and waste elimination that mesh together to form the lean approach.
We will briefly examine each in turn.

Customer-based demand triggers
In the lean approach, demand is to be met exactly when it is needed, no more no less,
not early not late, and always to exact levels of quality. This is obviously easier when
demand is predictable and, preferably, relatively steady. The implication of this is that
the ability to implement lean principles are much enhanced when an organisation
understands (and to some extent controls) the nature and level of the demands on
its resources. The most common approach to achieving customer-based triggering is
by utilising ‘pull control’ as opposed to ‘push control’. Push control was illustrated
in Figure 3.4(a) when any items that are processed by a stage are immediately pushed
forward to the next stage, irrespective of whether that customer stage actually requires
them at that time. Pull control is implicit in Figure 3.4(b), where items are ‘pulled’ for-
ward only in response to a specific customer request.

Synchronised flow
Synchronised flow means that items in a process, operation or supply network flow
smoothly and with even velocity from start to finish. This is a function of how inven-
tory accumulates within the operation. Whether inventory is accumulated in order
to smooth differences between demand and supply, or as a contingency against
unexpected delays, or simply to batch for purposes of processing or movement, it all
means that flow becomes asynchronous – it waits as inventory rather than progressing
smoothly on. Of course, once this state of perfect synchronisation of flow has been
achieved, it becomes easier to expose any irregularities of flow that may be the symp-
toms of more deep-rooted, underlying problems.

Enhanced improvement behaviour
Like TQM, the lean approach has always stressed the importance of staff involvement.
However, the way in which this was expressed, often using terms such as ‘respect for
humans’ and ‘enlightened vision’, did not always resonate with Western perspectives
on organisational behaviour. Indeed, the lean approach often seemed naïve, patronis-
ing, or worse to liberal Western eyes. Yet, return to the fundamental idea as illustrated
in our simple example and we have something that is not fundamentally countercul-
tural: namely, that smooth flow and the absence of inventory motivates individuals
to help their colleagues improve the whole process rather than focusing exclusively
on their own area of direct responsibility. So, behaviour is partly a function of syn-
chronous flow that is itself a function of customer-based triggering of demand. Fur-
thermore, it is these changes in motivation and behaviour that in turn leads on to the
fourth element – waste elimination.

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