Lean Production and information technology: Connection or contradiction?
Computers in Industry
Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing
Serial production systems with random yield and rigid demand: A heuristic
Operations Research Letters
A simulation-based lean production approach at a low-volume parts manufacturer with part combining
Proceedings of the Winter Simulation Conference
OM Forum: Offered Load Analysis for Staffing
Manufacturing & Service Operations Management
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The terms pull and lean production have become cornerstones of modern manufacturing practice. However, although they are widely used, they are less widely understood. In this paper, we argue that while the academic literature has steadily revealed the richness of the pull/lean concepts, the practitioner literature has progressively simplified these terms to the point that serious misunderstandings now exist. In hopes of reducing confusion, we offer general, but precise definitions of pull and lean. Specifically, we argue that pull is essentially a mechanism for limiting WIP, and lean is fundamentally about minimizing the cost of buffering variability.