Article2004

To Pull or Not to Pull: What Is the Question?

595 citations0/0 files storedManufacturing & Service Operations Management

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Quality and Supply Management Management and Optimization Techniques Operations Management Techniques

Abstract

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.

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References

1998Toyota production system: beyond large-scale production 1997Lean Thinking—Banish Waste and Create Wealth in your Corporation 1991The machine that changed the world : the story of lean production 1997Lean Thinking-Banish Waste and Create Wealth in Your Corporation.1999Decoding the DNA of the Toyota Production System 1977Toyota production system and Kanban system Materialization of just-in-time and respect-for-human system 1983Japanese Manufacturing Techniques: Nine Hidden Lessons in Simplicity 1983Toyota Production System: Practical Approach to Production Management

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