Just the Lean Talk 2 -- Mark Graban & Jamie Flinchbaugh Discuss Lean Supply Chains

As I did two weeks ago, when Jamie Flinchbaugh and I talked about “Lean 101” training (and should you skip it), I'm sharing another episode (as a “bonus” episode in the “Lean Blog Interviews” podcast series), a “just the Lean talk” discussion.

This comes from Episode #27 where we started the episode by taking a deep dive into coffee (making it and drinking it at home) instead of talking whiskey. We were recording in the morning, so whiskey wasn't appropriate. The weather was nice, so Jamie was sitting outside, so we get to hear some birds in his background.

Again, we know many of you don't care about the whiskey talk (or coffee talk), but Jamie suggested sharing this segment where we talked about Lean in relation to inventory and supply chains. This is from May of 2021, but we think it's still relevant. If you want to hear coffee talk, listen to or watch the whole version here.

Our inventory talk includes a news story about 10 million bourbon barrels that are “resting” in inventory. But it's barely whiskey talk. We talk more about the supposed “death of Just In Time.” Ugh.

As I said last time, Jamie Flinchbaugh and I started a podcast series just over three years ago called “Lean Whiskey.” It's a very conversational format and we've enjoyed doing it (and if anybody likes listening, then even better!).

Links From the Show (about Lean):

• 10 Million bourbon barrels resting – too much or not enough? 
• The Wall Street Journey's misinformed piece on JIT, Jeff Liker on JIT, Dr. Jonathan Byrnes on supply chain shockwaves, and Dr. Byrnes as a guest Mark's LeanBlog podcast
• MIT's The Beer Game, system dynamics and accumulators and delays, and supply and demand