The Lean Product Development Organizational Culture

Abstract

This chapter presents the main aspects related to organizational cultures which support the lean philosophy. Organizational culture is unique for every organization; it is not easily defined and even harder to change. It is essentially the cause and effect of the sum of all the written and unwritten rules, attitudes, behaviors, beliefs, and traditions which contribute to the unique social and psychological environment of an organization. All lean processes, tools and techniques are effective if supported by a lean enabling organizational culture. This culture allows the integration and alignment from all performed processes, regardless of whether they are being supported by lean labeled or non-labeled tools and techniques. Do not forget that are not the tools used by an organization that makes it a Lean Organization, but how it uses these very tools.