Product Description

For many years, Lean initiatives have generated staggering improvements on the shop floor. Currently, however, many managers and business leaders now want these Lean benefits incorporated into non-traditional environments such as service and transactions. This book shows you how to practically translate and transition Lean manufacturing principles into the office.

In Flow in the Office, Carlos Venegas confirms that the competitive advantage will go to those who manage information and knowledge most effectively and efficiently. It is not enough to be a Lean manufacturer - you need to be a Lean business, and that includes your back office, your front office, and your corner office.

This book will teach you how to:


Bring the best of Lean into all of your office activities.

Leverage the assets that you already have - honing them and bringing them to bear in support of your business strategy.

Conduct an office kaizen event where office automation is a key component.

The author has translated the language of Lean manufacturing into the language of Lean office flow, bringing bits, bytes, and conversations into the concrete world of process improvement.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #107676 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10-31
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 144 pages

About the Author
Carlos Venegas, president of Straus/Forest, LLC, has helped scores of clients implement successful process-improvement initiatives in a wide range of organizations: from 1000-employee business units in a Fortune 500 company to a 4-employee small business. The range of businesses that Carlos has worked with is equally broad. These businesses include technical and engineering design, creative services, building and maintenance contractors, interior design, retail, aerospace manufacturing, inventory management, printers, electronics assembly, accounting and finance, human resources, and IT, to name a few.

In addition to non-factory kaizens, consultations have included strategy alignment, tactical planning, employee involvement and engagement, communication, as well as shop-floor kaizen. As a Lean leadership coach, Carlos has supported individuals in achieving their organizational goals. Clients include top executives in a Fortune 500 company, executives in large and small non-profits, entrepreneurs, small-business owners, and private individuals.

Carlos has an M.A. in Applied Behavioral Science from The Leadership Institute of Seattle. He has received extensive Lean training from Shingijutsu, Ltd., both in Japan and the United States. Carlos may be contacted by email at carlos@strausforest.com or the Straus Forest web site: www.strausforest.com.

Customer Reviews

Excellent Lean Addition to your Library
There aren't many good books that show you how to practially implement lean in the office. Most are based on theories, or just tell you the principles are the same. They are of course, but this book is very useful especially if you are trying to convince reluctant people. Both lean leaders, facilitators, and those trying to learn about lean can learn from this excellent resource. Looking forward to more work by this author.

A complete and comprehensive guide to improving working conditions and in turn, the mental conditions of employees
Nothing is more soul crushing than being crammed into a small tiny area to work for eight hours. "Flow in the Office: Implementing and Sustaining Lean Improvements" is a complete and comprehensive guide to improving working conditions and in turn, the mental conditions of employees leading them to be happier, more alert, and most importantly, more productive each day. Focusing on the concepts of 'Lean' and 'Kaizen', "Flow in the Office: Implementing and Sustaining Lean Improvements" is top pick for anyone looking to make their office a better place in more ways than one - highly recommended for community library business collections.