A new industrial revolution is upon us, characterized by "smart devices", which are part of an "Internet of Things" or IoT that can actually direct machines on the shop floor by communicating autonomously "device-to-device" to man-age manufacturing operations and distribution.

Applying lean principles to management, rather than just operations, can help large organizations re-imagine how they work and unlock value through continuous improvement.

Downtime is the enemy of lean. Downtime is, in fact, waste. Idled lines do not add value. Restarting production after unplanned downtime requires more effort, usually expended with less efficiency and worker productivity. This reintroduces waste, which creates added costs that customers do not pay for, yet must be absorbed into cost of goods sold.