In many large and mid-sized manufacturing plants, lean techniques for improving operations have become something of a religion. Managers use these techniques, pioneered in Japan, to root out waste and inefficiency and to boost quality and flexibility. But lean tools and techniques are effective in many kinds of operations, not just in manufacturing and assembly plants. Managers should know how to use the lean approach in nonindustrial settings.
Source: McKinsey Quarterly, http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com