Comparing Textbook Coverage of Lean Management to Academic Research and Industry Practitioner Perceptions

Within operations management courses, most instructors choose to devote classroom time to teaching the topic of lean management. However, because the amount of time available for instructors to devote to this topic varies considerably, there is a great deal of latitude on which specific lean tools and techniques should be discussed. The authors reflect on this issue by considering the most important practices of lean from the perspective of three stakeholders: academic research, textbook authors, and industry professionals. Based on the comparison, the authors develop a list of recommendations to help instructors who are teaching lean at the undergraduate level.