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Lean Thinking for Knowledge Work
- Article from:
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Quality Progress
- Article date:
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June 1, 2005
- Author:
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Copyright informationCopyright American Society for Quality Jun 2005. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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LEAN
It's 1982, the year of the "Where's the Beef?" campaign and Jordache jeans. The General Motors' (GM) plant in Fremont, CA, is plagued by multiple strikes and sickouts by the United Auto Workers, absenteeism topping 20%, rampant substance abuse and four drug related murders. It's GM's worst plant in terms of quality and productivity. Eventually, the factory closes.
Enter Toyota, looking to test its production system on U.S. soil. Toyota and GM form a joint partnership in 1983 and reopen the Fremont line, naming it New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. (NUMMI). Same workers, same union, same facilities.
Operations begin in 1984, and within two years, NUMMI has the highest quality and ...