Seriously. The Toyota “lean” approach has been advocating for this - and reconfiguring factories around this - for decades. Hell, hospital execs have been taking tours of Toyota plants to import those ideas into HC for a good 20 years or more.

And they are still advocating lean manufacturing, and giving tours - indicating this approach is not the "obvious truths" the OP indicates, even if the ideas are 20 years old.

Yep. They talk “lean” and want to implement. But talking and wanting is not doing.

Working at an American car manufacturer and a major parts manufacturer.

They think they are lean but they are not. Many inefficiencies and waste.