Lean production and quality management (HL only)

Services, hospitals (reduce patient waiting), retail (manage inventory), tech — any industry.

JIT, Kaizen, cellular manufacturing, TQM, cradle to cradle.

TQM and cradle to cradle — all part of the lean philosophy.

Lower costs, higher quality, faster production, more motivated workers, better use of space.

Cutting waste and maximising efficiency — produce more value using fewer resources. If it doesn't add value, eliminate it.

Overproduction, waiting time, excess inventory, defects, unnecessary movement, over-processing.

Requires culture change, vulnerable to supply disruptions, high training costs, takes time, pressure on suppliers.

Eliminate waste, improve quality, add more value for the customer.

Low stock means no buffer — if a supplier is late, production stops immediately.

Value — every step should add value for the customer.

Reliable suppliers and steady demand; unpredictable demand or unreliable supply chains.

Just-in-time — ordering/receiving stock only when needed. No stockpiling. Right materials, right place, right time.

Just-in-case — holding extra stock as a buffer against supply delays or demand spikes. Safety-first approach.

Supply fails; expensive to store.

Buffer against delays, meets unexpected demand, less dependent on suppliers, bulk discounts possible.

Customer demand — not pushed by forecasts.

A mix of both JIT and JIC depending on the product.

High storage costs, cash tied up, stock may expire/become obsolete, more waste if demand falls.

Lower storage costs, less waste, cash not tied up in inventory, forces quality.

No safety stock (supply disruption stops production), needs reliable suppliers, can't cope with demand spikes.

Improves quality/efficiency, low cost, motivates workers (feel valued), reduces waste, teamwork culture.

TQM and quality assurance — all lean tools work together.

Japanese for 'continuous improvement' — small, regular improvements by ALL workers that add up to big results over time.

Other lean tools like JIT and TQM — they reinforce each other.

Slow results, needs culture shift, training required, hard to sustain enthusiasm, not for urgent large-scale changes.

All workers suggest improvements, changes are small/low-cost, teams meet regularly, improvements tested and measured.

Small change, big impact over thousands of products.

One giant leap — progress, not perfection.

Designing products so every part can be reused, recycled or returned to nature. No waste, continuous loop.

Reduces waste/environmental damage, attracts eco-customers, saves money long-term, meets regulations, competitive advantage.

Grave; composted — nothing goes to landfill.

STEEPLE (environmental + ethical factors) — great evaluation point.

High initial costs, new suppliers needed, not all materials recyclable, customers may not pay more, requires design rethink.

Make → use → throw away (linear, wasteful). Make → use → reuse/recycle → make again (circular).

'Next life' — what happens after the customer is done with it.