Helen Croker has been discussing production costs with others in the garment industry. Lean thinking was a term other producers have been discussing as a way of controlling costs. Climbing costs are eating away at Helen's profits, so to reduce costs she thought of moving production offshore. Going offshore will make it more difficult to maintain quality while keeping production onshore enables her to contribute to her local community. She has come to you, a partner in Good Numbers, asking for some information about lean thinking.

Required:

Prepare a report for Helen which describes the concept of lean thinking. In this report identify a business discovered through your internet searches that has adopted lean thinking. (7 marks)

Using the business you identified as a case study:

1. explain how lean thinking has been implemented and used. (9 marks)
2. outline the benefits achieved by adopting lean thinking. (9 marks)

(max 1,200 words)