Final answer:
Lean manufacturing focuses on eliminating waste and improving efficiency, in contrast to traditional mass production where larger inventories and integrated factories were common. Just-in-time manufacturing requires timely delivery of parts, reduces storage costs, and quickly reveals quality issues. This system transforms workers' roles within production, potentially affecting wages, working conditions, and supply chain dynamics.
Step-by-step explanation:
Lean manufacturing differs from previous manufacturing concepts primarily through its focus on eliminating waste, improving quality, and achieving greater efficiency. In the past, manufacturing was characterized by large integrated factories, like the Ford's River Rouge plant, where bulk quantities of materials and goods were produced and stored, often leading to inefficiency. This approach included the mechanization of labor and a concentration on producing identical products for the sake of efficiency over craftsmanship.
One significant shift from earlier practices is the application of just-in-time manufacturing, which emerged as a response to the inefficiencies of holding large inventories. This approach means that parts are delivered exactly when they are needed in the production process, which reduces costs associated with warehousing and helps to identify quality issues more rapidly. This logistical strategy necessitates that suppliers be located close to the main assembly plants to facilitate the timely delivery of parts.
The lean philosophy has transformed the way in which workers interact with the manufacturing process. They are more integrated into the quality control process and have the potential to affect the entire supply chain immediately. This is a departure from earlier times when workers performed repetitive tasks without necessarily seeing the final product, and skills were more standardized and specialized.
Despite its efficiency, this model can apply pressure on wages and working conditions, as the focus is on cost-cutting and competition among suppliers, which can undermine the bargaining power of unionized workers. However, it also offers opportunities for strategic disruption of the supply chain by workers in key positions. For instance, a strike in one crucial parts plant can halt the whole assembly process, revealing the interdependence and vulnerability within the lean manufacturing system.