As a consultant, Kiyoshi Suzaki has helped scores of Fortune 500 clients improve manufacturing operations and get the job done faster, cheaper, better, and safer. Now, in this detailed "operating manual" - full of more step-by-step applications than anyother book available - Suzaki spells out new options in production and employee resources that can help American industry regain the cutting edge in price, quality, and delivery of products. A well-known expert in the field, Suzaki begins with the premise that "if it doesn"t add value, it"s waste" - a concept devised by Henry Ford and later used by Toyota. He recaps what Toyota identifies as the seven most prominent forms of waste in factories. Most importantly, he meticulously details steps individuals can take to "simplify, combine, and eliminate operations" - thereby reducing waste, improving quality, and saving money. Describing in detail the basic techniques culled from Japanese industrial philosophy and procedure, Suzaki...