Lean Solutions

While consumers have a greater selection than ever before of high quality goods and services, all of which can be obtained from a growing number of sources, why are they not any happier than ever before? According to Womack and Jones, the answer is due a massive “disconnect” that exists between providers and consumers. The context in which these products and services are obtained and subsequently used (not to mention repaired, upgraded, and eventually replaced or recycled) is frustrating. And to understand why consumption is so challenging for consumers, it is necessary to see the complete value stream—the consumption stream plus the provision stream.

The premise of Lean Solutions is that every relationship with external retailers and service organizations down the provision stream, plus suppliers further up the stream may need challenging, along with assumptions about traditional methods for conducting internal processes. Solving consumers’ problems will require re-thinking the definition of value and the fundamental organization of value creation.