Value at the point of production does not automatically translate into value at the point of consumption. Augmenting lean thinking with a more robust and substantial customer value basis makes it even more powerful when applied to the organization’s value stream. This book unleashes the principles of lean thinking as a strategic tool to do just that. As authors Reidenbach and Goeke argue throughout this book, an organization’s ability to use lean techniques not only to eliminate non-value adding costs but also to use the same lean tools to enhance its competitive value proposition is to realize the full power and potency of lean. The concepts explained are pertinent not only to manufacturing but also service organizations that move products/services through channels of distribution.

The book will challenge managers from a number of distinct organizational areas to think about the way they view their business. Those in marketing, quality, logistics, Six Sigma, customer relationship management (CRM), market research, and business intelligence will find the book extremely. The principles outlined apply to commercial banks, healthcare, and insurance as well as they do to the automotive or pharmaceutical industries.