Which management philosophy is focused on eliminating waste while maximizing customer satisfaction?

Lean management is focused on the principles of eliminating waste (or non-value-added activities) while simultaneously maximizing customer satisfaction. This philosophy seeks to streamline processes to improve efficiency and reduce costs, ensuring that resources are used effectively to deliver value to the customer. Lean methods promote a culture of continuous improvement and empower employees to identify and eliminate any activities that do not contribute to the ultimate goal of customer satisfaction.

By emphasizing the removal of waste, Lean encourages organizations to rethink their processes and systems, fostering a more agile environment that can quickly adapt to customer needs. Thus, Lean is fundamentally about enhancing the overall value delivered to customers while minimizing resources expended.

Kanban, while an important tool within Lean methodologies for managing workflow and inventory, specifically focuses on visualizing work and limiting work in progress, rather than the broader philosophy of waste elimination. MRP, or Material Requirements Planning, is primarily concerned with managing manufacturing processes and inventory levels, and quality control is focused more on maintaining standards of quality rather than optimizing efficiency and waste.