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a. Rapid flow of goods and information is difficult to achieve
b. Longer lead times
c. Higher inventory levels
d. Relatively poor sales-forecasting accuracy
e. Significant delays in resolving technical problems

These are also probably the reasons why Chinese manufacturing, which has a time lead over India in terms of exports, has not been able to embrace lean techniques on a wide scale. Thus, Indian firms who are primary suppliers to global firms have to figure out ways to contend with these problems.

vii. Geographical and Infrastructural factors:
In India, except for a few manufacturers like Maruti Udyog, who enjoy the benefits of a cluster of suppliers who are located close to its manufacturing facility, the distances to be covered by road or rail from the supplier to the manufacturer are very large, often involving multiple means of transport. Also, infrastructure in India needs to improve further, especially roads, cargo handling at ports, etc., to make predictable lead times viable.

Finally, we examine what Indian manufacturers who have just adopted the first step (probably the easiest step of the four, because the problems are relatively obvious) need to do further to become lean in the real sense.

Next steps

i. Improving implementation of current practices:
Continual improvement involves identifying further areas where waste can be eliminated and variability reduced to achieve greater efficiency.

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* Contributed by -
Vaishnav Tadatmya Ashok,
IIM, Lucknow.