Lean manufacturing plays a major role in our economy and yet it is almost unknown outside of manufacturing. It is important to know how lean manufacturing relates to our individual lives and how we can all benefit from this concept. With the current slow economic recovery, it is imperative that we find ways for consumers to navigate these difficult times, but also implement the values ​​learned into future thinking. With the cost of goods rising and unemployment high, lean manufacturing helps keep costs low and jobs in America where they belong. When we think of process manufacturing or the assembly line, many attribute this concept to Henry Ford. The introduction of the continuous process in the late 1890s involved manufacturing a product from start to finish on an assembly line and the concept was revolutionary; the people didn't move but the product did. Ford's financial return on this successful concept meant offering a cheaper product without sacrificing premium quality. Then, in the 1940s, Taiichi Ohno, a Toyota Corporation mechanical engineer located in Japan, is credited with developing the "Toyota Production System", also known as Lean Manufacturing, furthering Henry Ford's concept and further developing the concept of movement and flow of materials. in the manufacturing process. This system would further analyze wasted motion and take a closer look at reducing or even eliminating excessive motion or movement to retrieve tools or products during the manufacturing of a product. For example, if a person has groceries and needs to bring their bags into the house, the distance is shorter to park in a garage where a person is closer to the door than to park on the street and drive the long distance on foot. ... middle of paper ...... people are going back to work and focusing again on the American dream and planning for our financial security until retirement age. Works Cited A Brief History of Lean Manufacturing. and Paul Swift. March 19, 2012. Davidson, Paul. Lean manufacturing helps businesses survive the recession. Ed. Brent Jones. March 3, 2009. March 19, 2012. Eliyahu M. Goldratt, Jeff Cox. The objective: a process of continuous improvement. New York: North River Press, 1984. Rosen, James. “Lean manufacturing takes root in the United States” April 29, 2011. FoxNews.com. March 19, 2012. Sato, Tomaichi. “Production management and planning: Tomoichi Sato.” Lean Manufacturing Japan. Warren Harrod. sd. 2.