To be Lean Or Agile or To be Lean And Agile
ABSTRACT There has been a tendency recently to see lean and agile as two distinct models of business operations. In this paper, the authors seek to reconcile the two paradigms and through case study examples show how they may successfully be combined. A fundamental requirement is that supply chain design be linked to corporate strategy and the needs of the market-place. Lean and agile principles are then juxtaposed according to the requisite business strategy via a time± space matrix. This determines whether the lean± agile principles are separated by time, by space or by both space and time. Introduction A key feature of present-day business is the idea that it is supply chains that compete, not companies (Christopher, 1992), and that the success or failure of supply chains is ultimately determined in the market-place by the end consumer. Getting the right product, at the right price, at the right time to the consumer is not only the linchpin to competitive success but also the key to survival. Hence, customer satisfaction and market-place understanding are crucial elements for consideration when attempting to establish supply chainstrategies. Only when the requirements and constraints of the market-place are understood can an enterprise attempt to develop a strategy that will meet the needs of both the supply chain and the end customer. There has recently been some significant debate about the relative merits of the so-called ª leanº and ª agileº approaches to supply chain management.