the only thing that adds value in any type of process — be it in manufacturing, marketing, or a development process — is the physical or information … - Jeffrey K. Liker

I start with the premise that the function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers. — Ralph Nader, consumer advocate

All we are doing is looking at the time line from the moment the customer gives us an order to the point when we collect the cash. And we are reducing that time line by removing the non-value-added wastes. (Ohno, 1988)

The vision for Lean, I believe, should be achieving operational excellence based on a clearly defined value system and a way of engaging people in Continuous Improvement. The goals can generally be summarized as Safety, Morale, Quality, Cost, and Productivity.