6.4: Eliminating Waste
- Page ID
- 65831
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The Pennsylvania State University, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences: Andy James’ “Operational Efficiency “
Read this article. Pay particular attention to the examples of the eight wastes. These eight types of waste should be understood and evaluated. Take time to consider your workplace. Identify each type of waste within your organization. Where does it occur? Why does it occur? Is it required waste (regulatory or quality assurance step)? Answers to these questions are a precursor to making sound decisions related to the elimination of waste and changes in process.
Operational Efficiency
Lean: Sustainability’s blue-collar brother
In understanding operational efficiency for many of the world’s corporations, two systems of thought tend to predominate: the Toyota Production System (TPS, more broadly known as “Lean”) and Six Sigma.
Although Lean and Six Sigma are systems used to create, hone, and, over time, optimize virtually any process or system, it is important to note that a central concern of each is the elimination of waste. While sustainability may deal with the longer-term ramifications of overuse and waste, as well as other wide-ranging implications, this expression of sustainability on the plant floor is as elegant and brutally efficient in intent as it is in execution: waste costs measurable amounts of money. Period. There is no nuanced interpretation, no delicate interpretive dance of language to be had here, which is perhaps why the application of these systems are so popular with CFOs and operations management alike.
Underscoring some of their shared underpinnings, Lean and Six Sigma share essentially the same definitions of waste:
In consideration of what is a shared prescription of two of the dominant efficiency systems in the world, let’s consider the sustainable underpinnings of the eight wastes and the types of aspects related to each waste:
Lean Waste | Examples of Related Sustainability Aspects |
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Inventory Waste |
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- Operational Efficiency. Authored by: Andy James. Provided by: The Pennsylvania State University, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. Located at: https://www.e-education.psu.edu/ba850/node/638. License: CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
- Eliminating Online Waste. Provided by: Fox Valley Technical College and Wisconsin's Technical Colleges. Located at: https://www.wisc-online.com/learn/career-clusters/business-management-and-administration/eng16304/eliminating-office-waste. License: CC BY-NC: Attribution-NonCommercial
- The Eight Wastes of Lean. Provided by: Fox Valley Technical College and Wisconsin's Technical Colleges. Located at: https://www.wisc-online.com/learn/career-clusters/stem/eng10603/the-eight-wastes-of-lean. License: CC BY-NC: Attribution-NonCommercial