The value of traditional skills and knowledge: symbolic power and management accountants

Lean management, a term coined by Krafcik in 1988, as a management concept is rooted in Taylor’s Scientific Management tradition. Developed in the Japanese car industry in the 1970s, it aims at increasing operational performance by creating customer value and reducing waste in the production process. Characteristic features of lean management include Value Stream Mapping (VSM), and Continuous Improvement (CI). Since the 1980s, lean management principles have been applied and studied in many sectors of industry, manufacturing as well as service sectors. The successful lean experiment resulted in the establishment of a LIT, building educational programmes in lean management, and lean experts and lean practitioners. Furthermore, all kinds of activities were being organized, such as ‘lean experience days’, ‘lean workgroup meetings’, and ‘lean exhibition’. Furthermore, all managers needed to participate in lean and servant leadership courses. These are examples of the performativity of the non-human actor lean. Moreover, initiators and early adopters acted as spokespersons to mobilize other actors for the network, by using their success stories as references. The network grew steadily as more actors identified with lean as good solution to eliminate waste and create customer value by continuously improving work processes. Led by the initiators, 37 lean experts were trained to spread the lean message in all departments. With silver suitcases and colored markers they developed into lean ambassadors and facilitated management teams throughout the organization in developing brown paper sessions and visual management boards. This mainly resulted in new consultation structures, e.g. by using visual management boards.