DEVELOPING A LEAN PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION - AN AUSTRALIAN CASE-STUDY

Describes the experience of an Australian automotive parts manufacture r over the ten-year period from 1984-1994 as it adopted lean productio n methods and new work organization structures. Outlines the activitie s undertaken as part of a just-in-time programme during the second hal f of the 1980s and discusses the benefits achieved Describes the compa ny's current initiative called TRIP (Trico Restructuring Improvement P rogramme) which has involved the development of work teams based on th e sociotechnical system. Describes the implementation of work teams an d the benefits achieved. Discusses the lessons learned from the compan y's experience.