Lean Transformation ─ Cultural Enablers and Enterprise Alignment

Part 1 of the book explains why Lean Implementation usually fails -- managers should focus more on "early adopters" than trying to convert "resistors." The best roadmap to implement Lean uses the Shingo Process, which describes the guiding principles and how to implement them. Part 2 is about the Lean Tools and how they can be deployed for continuous improvement, such as across plants and distribution centers. Part 3 is about the Lean Performance Measures and how to assess the Lean performance. Assessment of the Lean system tools is enables organizations to remain focused on the standardization of the Lean System and boost the organization’s sustainability efforts.

Suresh Patel is a past Technical Director and Operational Excellence Executive. He holds a B.E. Electrical degree from M.S. University Baroda, Master’s in Production Technology from South Bank University, London and a MBA from the University of Texas at Brownsville, USA. He is a Certified Reliability Engineer, Certified Quality Engineer and a Certified Management Systems Auditor certified by the American Society for Quality.

In his long career spanning more than four decades he has developed wide range of products/processes and has helped establishing six manufacturing plants in India, and five US plants in Mexico. Starting with India, his career path has enabled him to work in industries in UK, Europe (Denmark, Italy and Belgium), USA, China, Mexico and Chile (SA).

Mr. Patel’s practical expertise and interests include establishment of Business Excellence through product quality strategies, deployment of quality improvement tools, Lean for performance excellence, Six Sigma, a tactical methodology and overall business excellence employing Leadership and Results "Triades" as defined in MBNQA USA certification. This has enabled timely new product developments, improvement in product/process delivery performance, reduction in nonconforming product escapes, and reduction in product/process variation resulting in substantial cost reductions due to internal and external failures, warranty and product liability.